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After joining his father's law firm in Coushatta, Bethard subsequently served as the Coushatta town attorney from 1956 to 1960 and 1964 to 1980, <ref name=leaglecom/> usually without pay.<ref name=obit/>He was the village attorney for the nearby Hall Summit, Edgefield, and Martin communities in Red River Parish. From 1950 to 1964, when his one term in the legislature ended, he was like his father the attorney for the Red River - Bayou Pierre Levee and Drainage District. He has been an active member of the bar associations of [[Natchitoches, Louisiana|Natchitoches]] and Red River parishes.<ref name=legaldir>{{cite web|url=http://www.legaldirectories.com/Henry-W-Bethard-III-398644-Atty.aspx|title=Henry W. Bethard, III|publisher=legaldirectories.com|accessdate=September 6, 2014}}</ref>. Bethard worked to obtain an airport for Red River Parish and a port at Hanna on the Red River. He recruited Bodcaw Industries (since Idaho Industries) to Coushatta. He was a chairman of Coushatta's Industrial Development Committee and solicited the location of the former Sunbeam Manufacturing plant, which in its heyday in the 1970s employed as many as seven hundred persons. Bethard was a director of the Bank of Coushatta and a long-term member of the American Legion, the Coushatta Country Club, and the Springville Cemetery Committee. At the time of his death, he was the oldest member of the First [[United Methodist]] Church in Coushatta.<ref name=obit/>.  

After joining his father's law firm in Coushatta, Bethard subsequently served as the Coushatta town attorney from 1956 to 1960 and 1964 to 1980, <ref name=leaglecom/> usually without pay.<ref name=obit/>He was the village attorney for the nearby Hall Summit, Edgefield, and Martin communities in Red River Parish. From 1950 to 1964, when his one term in the legislature ended, he was like his father the attorney for the Red River - Bayou Pierre Levee and Drainage District. He has been an active member of the bar associations of [[Natchitoches, Louisiana|Natchitoches]] and Red River parishes.<ref name=legaldir>{{cite web|url=http://www.legaldirectories.com/Henry-W-Bethard-III-398644-Atty.aspx|title=Henry W. Bethard, III|publisher=legaldirectories.com|accessdate=September 6, 2014}}</ref>. Bethard worked to obtain an airport for Red River Parish and a port at Hanna on the Red River. He recruited Bodcaw Industries (since Idaho Industries) to Coushatta. He was a chairman of Coushatta's Industrial Development Committee and solicited the location of the former Sunbeam Manufacturing plant, which in its heyday in the 1970s employed as many as seven hundred persons. Bethard was a director of the Bank of Coushatta and a long-term member of the American Legion, the Coushatta Country Club, and the Springville Cemetery Committee. At the time of his death, he was the oldest member of the First [[United Methodist]] Church in Coushatta.<ref name=obit/>.  

As a representative, Bethard succeeded Lester Vetter, a former mayor of Coushatta who died in office with two months remaining in his second term as state representative. In 1962, Bethard went to [[Philadelphia]], [[Pennsylvania]], on the occasion of the 175th anniversary of the [[United States Constitution]]. He delivered a speech standing on the steps of [[Independence Hall]].<ref name=obit/> The next year, he fell short in his primary bid for re-nomination in the primary election held on December 7, 1963, just three weeks after the assassination of [[John F. Kennedy]]. Samuel Moore Morgan, Jr. (1922-1982), who had run unsuccessfully for the position four years earlier against Lester Vetter,<ref>''The Shreveport Times'', December 7, 1959, p. 2-A</ref> led a five-candidate field. Bethard finished second and faced Morgan in a runoff contest on January 11, 1964. The Coushatta barber and landowner, Oneld Walter Driggers (1921-2011), a native of Saline in Bienville Parish,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.rockettnettles.com/fh/obituaries/obituary.cfm?o_id=1192580&fh_id=12668|title=Oneld Walter Driggers|publisher=rockettnettles.com|accessdate=November 16, 2014}}</ref> finished in third place in the primary. Harvey Gates and L. S. Huckaby completed the field.<ref>''The Shreveport Times'', December 8, 1963, p. 1.</ref> On January 11, 1964, Morgan won the  runoff election for the state House held in conjunction with the Democratic gubernatorial showdown between Louisiana Public Service Commissioner [[John J. McKeithen]] and deLesseps Story Morrison, Sr. (1912-1964), the former [[mayor]] of [[New Orleans]]. Morgan obtained 1,590 votes to Bethard's 1,531 votes.<ref>''The Shreveport Times'', January 12, 1964, p. 14-A.</ref>Bethard's grandmother, Fannie M. Bethard (1874-1963) of Harrisonburg, Louisiana, died on Sunday, December 8, 1963, the day after the state primary election.<ref>''The Shreveport Times'', December 9, 1963</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=55744769|title=Fannie M. Bethard|publisher=findagrave.com|accessdate=November 17, 2014}}</ref>  

As a representative, Bethard succeeded Lester Vetter, a former mayor of Coushatta who died in office with two months remaining in his second term as state representative. In 1962, Bethard went to [[Philadelphia]], [[Pennsylvania]], on the occasion of the 175th anniversary of the [[United States Constitution]]. He delivered a speech standing on the steps of [[Independence Hall]].<ref name=obit/> The next year, he fell short in his primary bid for re-nomination in the primary election held on December 7, 1963, just three weeks after the assassination of [[John F. Kennedy]]. Samuel Moore Morgan, Jr. (1922-1982), who had run unsuccessfully for the position four years earlier against Lester Vetter,<ref>''The Shreveport Times'', December 7, 1959, p. 2-A</ref> led a five-candidate field. Bethard finished second and faced Morgan in a runoff contest on January 11, 1964. The Coushatta barber and landowner, Oneld Walter Driggers (1921-2011), a native of Saline in Bienville Parish,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.rockettnettles.com/fh/obituaries/obituary.cfm?o_id=1192580&fh_id=12668|title=Oneld Walter Driggers|publisher=rockettnettles.com|accessdate=November 16, 2014}}</ref> finished in third place in the primary. Harvey Gates and L. S. Huckaby completed the field.<ref>''The Shreveport Times'', December 8, 1963, p. 1.</ref> On January 11, 1964, Morgan won the  runoff election for the state House held in conjunction with the Democratic gubernatorial showdown between Louisiana Public Service Commissioner [[John J. McKeithen]] and deLesseps Story Morrison, Sr. (1912-1964), the former [[mayor]] of [[New Orleans]]. Morgan obtained 1,590 votes to Bethard's 1,531 votes.<ref>''The Shreveport Times'', January 12, 1964, p. 14-A.</ref>Bethard's grandmother, Fannie M. Bethard (1874-1963) of Harrisonburg, Louisiana, died on Sunday, December 8, 1963, the day after the state primary election.<ref>''The Shreveport Times'', December 9, 1963.</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=55744769|title=Fannie M. Bethard|publisher=findagrave.com|accessdate=November 17, 2014}}</ref>  

In March 1980, Bethard was named an assistant district attorney for Red River Parish.<ref name=leaglecom>{{cite web|url=http://www.leagle.com/decision/19831552430So2d1122_11218.xml/BETHARD%20v.%20STATE,%20THROUGH%20BD.%20OF%20TRUSTEES|title=Henry W. Bethard, III, v. State of Louisiana, through the Board of Trustees of the Louisiana State Employees' Retirement System|date=June 10, 1983|publisher=leagle.com|accessdate=September 6, 2014}}</ref>

In March 1980, Bethard was named an assistant district attorney for Red River Parish.<ref name=leaglecom>{{cite web|url=http://www.leagle.com/decision/19831552430So2d1122_11218.xml/BETHARD%20v.%20STATE,%20THROUGH%20BD.%20OF%20TRUSTEES|title=Henry W. Bethard, III, v. State of Louisiana, through the Board of Trustees of the Louisiana State Employees' Retirement System|date=June 10, 1983|publisher=leagle.com|accessdate=September 6, 2014}}</ref>