Do you have to be a part of the BAR to be a lawyer? It's just a private organization.
The American BAR Association
"Founded in 1878, the ABA is committed to advancing the rule of law across the United States and beyond by providing practical resources for legal professionals, law school accreditation, model ethics codes and more."
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bar_association
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Bar_Association
https://www.americanbar.org/about_the_aba/