The president, the first vice-president, and the secretary of the Alabama State Bar may become a corporation by presenting to the Secretary of the State of Alabama an application signed by them setting forth:
The application shall be subscribed and sworn to by each of the applicants before an officer authorized by the laws of Alabama to take acknowledgments to deeds.
There shall be attached to the application:
The Secretary of State shall examine the application and, if he or she finds that it substantially complies with the requirements of this section, he or she shall receive, file, and record it in an appropriate book of record in his or her office.
Ala. Code § 34-3-101 (1975)