Who We Are
The Lloyd C. Lochridge American Inn of Court is dedicated to the promotion of excellence in professionalism, ethics, civility, and legal skills within the Austin legal community. It was founded in 2009 by eighteen distinguished members of the Calvert Inn of Court -- at the time the only Inn in Austin -- who believed that a smaller Inn membership would provide greater opportunities for personal interaction and deeper relationships among members.
The Inn is named for Lloyd Lochridge, a true icon of the Texas bar. Our namesake, after serving in the United States Navy during World War II, began his law practice in Mission, Texas, and moved to Austin in 1959, joining with a childhood friend to form McGinnis Lochridge & Kilgore. In an exceptionally distinguished career, Lloyd served as the President of the State Bar of Texas, was elected a Life Fellow of both the Texas and American Bar Foundations, held numerous offices with the American Bar Association, and won far more accolades than we could possibly list. Lloyd, an active member of the Inn, inspires all of our members through his practice and example, his activities in the bar, and his dedication to professionalism and justice for all in our society.
How the Inn Works
The Lochridge Inn operates on an annual calendar, beginning anew each fall. The Inn year traditionally opens in September with a social jointly hosted by all of the Austin-area Inns of Court. Every month through the fall, winter, and spring, the entire Inn gathers monthly for a happy hour and dinner, and CLE presentation. Traditionally, we hold our meetings on the third Tuesday of each month, October through April. Our meetings are held at Chateau Bellevue, 708 San Antonio Street. The Inn year closes in May with another joint social with the Calvert, Jordan, and Yeakel Inns.
Before each Inn year begins, the membership is divided among seven pupillage teams. These teams are composed of a mix of Associates (licensed fewer than 8 years), Barristers (licensed 8 to 20 years), and Masters (licensed 20 years or more), as well as student members, and form one of the principal vehicles for social and professional interactions among members. Each team is responsible for the CLE presentation at one of the Inn's monthly dinner meetings. Team members select a topic for discussion at their month's meeting, research and develop an engaging presentation, and jointly lead the Inn discussion. (In keeping with the Inn's mission to promote professionalism and excellence, between a third and a half of the presentations usually focus on improving litigation skills, with the balance considering a range of litigation-related current events, trends, and issues.)
For the 2023-24 Inn year, the currently scheduled meeting dates are:
- September 19, 2023
- October 17, 2023
- November 14, 2023
- December 12, 2023
- January 16, 2024:
- February 20, 2024:
- March 19, 2024:
- April 16, 2024:
- May 2024: Social TBD