Southwest Association of Bank Counsel was originally formed in July 1976 as the Texas Association of Bank Counsel to inform and educate Texas lawyers who devote a substantial part of their professional time to representing banks and other financial institutions. In 2017, TABC became the Southwest Association of Bank Counsel, opening its membership to lawyers in Texas, Arkansas, Colorado, Louisiana, Oklahoma, Missouri and New Mexico. SWABC promotes networking among bank lawyers and encourages the exchange of information on transactional techniques and developments in the law. SWABC also provides members an opportunity to convene at the annual convention and throughout the year to earn CLE credit hours and network.