A group of top civil and criminal attorneys from across the country founded The Belli Society in 1981 to honor Mr. Belli's nearly 50 years of contributing to the law. His good friend, Stanley Preiser of Charleston, West Virginia, was instrumental in the group's creation and served as its first president and board chairman.

Today, the Belli Society is a charitable organization that promotes the study of law by funding research, conducting lectures, seminars and moot courts and publishing legal articles. Members have convened in Israel, Poland, Cuba, South America, Jordan, Africa and other countries to establish relations with international bar associations.

The Belli Society's roster includes hundreds of the most distinguished members of the bar and bench. Officers, trustees and fellows include former California Chief Justice Rose Bird, James Ackerman, Harry Philo, Robert Cartwright, Ted Koskoff, Leonard Ring, Marvin E. Lewis, Sr., Phillip Corboy, Thomas Malone, Thomas Murray Jr., Dick Gerry, Dal Haralson and Lee Kreindler.