Atlanta Bar Association

What Atlanta Bar Association does

The Atlanta Bar Association is a voluntary, nonprofit professional membership organization founded in 1888 that serves approximately 3,900 lawyers, judges, patent agents, legal assistants, and law students across the Atlanta metropolitan statistical area. Its core service bundle combines professional development (CLE programming delivered live, recorded, and on-demand through FastCLE), business development (the Lawyer Referral and Information Service, or LRIS, established in 1955 and handling over 45,000 prospective-client calls annually), community engagement (22 practice-area sections plus committees, the 100% Club for full-firm membership, and the Leadership Academy), and content (The Atlanta Lawyer magazine, published six times per year to 5,000+ readers). The organization operates as a 501(c)-style member-supported association governed by an elected president (currently Betsy C. Griswold for the 2026-2027 bar year) and Board of Directors, with Toni Roberts as Executive Director and a small professional staff of 11-50.

The association's underlying technology is modest and not a differentiator: it runs on standard association management systems, delivers CLE through the third-party FastCLE platform, and operates a manual LRIS intake process staffed by humans rather than automation. There is no public API, no proprietary software product, no documented AI capability, and no mobile application; technology is purely operational rather than commercial.

The business model is subscription-based membership dues scaled by experience level (active attorneys $150-$270/year, government/public service $60-$110, judiciary free, law students free, associates $100, non-lawyer affiliates $50), augmented by section dues ($15-$50 per section), $125 LRIS panel participation fees, CLE program fees, the $525 classified-ad rate in The Atlanta Lawyer, and annual corporate sponsorships (CiteDepo, Steno, Ameris Bank, JAMS, The Home Depot). The Atlanta Bar Foundation operates as the affiliated 501(c)(3) charitable arm, supporting access-to-justice and youth development programs including the Minority & Diversity Clerkship Program and Summer Law Internship Program (SLIP). The member benefit portfolio also extends to negotiated discounts with consumer and legal-tech vendors such as Clio, LawPay, Verizon, ADP, UPS, Brooks Brothers, Hertz, and Staples. The association does not pursue equity funding and has no parent company.

Name

Atlanta Bar Association

Legal name

Atlanta Bar Association

Website

https://atlantabar.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1888

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Atlanta Bar Association is a 137-year-old nonprofit voluntary professional membership organization serving roughly 3,900 lawyers, judges, and legal support professionals in the Atlanta metropolitan area, delivering CLE programs, the LRIS client-referral service, 22 practice sections, and The Atlanta Lawyer magazine.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Legal Professional Association Services

NAICS

Professional Organizations (813920)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Legal & Compliance (CLE, Paralegal CE) (EDAAALAB)

Keywords

• Legal professional association
• Continuing legal education
• Lawyer referral services
• Bar membership programs
• Legal community networking

Headquarters

HQ city

Atlanta

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: The primary revenue stream comes from annual membership dues structured by experience level. Active attorneys pay $150-$270 annually depending on years in practice. Government/public service members pay $60-$110. Associate members pay $100, and non-lawyer affiliates pay $50.
2. Section Membership Dues: Additional revenue from 22 practice-area specific sections with annual dues ranging from $15 to $50 per section.
3. Lawyer Referral Information Service (LRIS): Attorneys pay $125 annually to join the LRIS panel, which includes access to 10 practice area panels. The service connects attorneys with vetted potential clients, generating fees for panelists.
4. CLE Programs: Revenue generated through Continuing Legal Education programs including live events, webinars, and on-demand online library through FastCLE.
5. Sponsorships: Annual sponsorships from corporate partners provide revenue while offering sponsors visibility in the Atlanta legal community.
6. Advertising - The Atlanta Lawyer Magazine: Revenue from advertising in the official magazine distributed electronically to over 5,000 readers. Classified ads, firm announcements ($525 for specified size), and display advertising are available.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The Atlanta Bar Association is a voluntary professional membership organization for lawyers in the Atlanta metropolitan area. It sells annual membership subscriptions that grant access to Continuing Legal Education (CLE) programs, a Lawyer Referral and Information Service (LRIS), 22 practice-specific sections, the Atlanta Lawyer magazine, member discounts through partner vendors, and networking and leadership development opportunities.

Product overview

The Atlanta Bar Association is a voluntary professional association founded in 1888 serving the metropolitan Atlanta legal community with approximately 3,900 members. The organization offers a unified suite of member services centered around professional development and community engagement. Core offerings include the Continuing Legal Education (CLE) program with live, recorded, and on-demand options; the Lawyer Referral and Information Service (LRIS) matching clients with attorneys; and The Atlanta Lawyer magazine published six times annually. Members gain access to 22 practice-specific sections and committees, the Atlanta Bar Foundation (supporting access to justice and youth programs), and the Leadership Academy. The organization also provides member discounts through partner technology vendors including Clio (legal practice management) and LawPay (legal payments), along with discounts from Brooks Brothers, Verizon, UPS, and other commercial partners. The association does not offer a public API or documented AI capabilities.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Atlanta Bar Foundation: A charitable arm that supports projects promoting equal access to justice, youth development programs, and public understanding of the law.
• Lawyer Referral and Information Service (LRIS)
• The Atlanta Lawyer

Products and services

• Continuing Legal Education (CLE) Programs Atlanta Bar CLE provides live, recorded, and in-house/self-study continuing legal education options including an on-demand library of archived programs and webinars to help attorneys meet their continuing education requirements.
• Lawyer Referral and Information Service (LRIS) A referral service matching potential clients with attorneys based on practice areas. The service has received over 45,000 calls per year and generated $5,159,003 in fees for panelists since inception as of January 2025.
• The Atlanta Lawyer Magazine The official digital magazine of the Atlanta Bar Association, published six times a year, covering association events, the Atlanta legal community, and the profession at large. Distributed to over 5,000 readers.
• Practice Area Sections Twenty-two practice-specific sections including Bankruptcy Law, Business & Finance, Construction Law, Criminal Law, Family Law, Intellectual Property, Litigation, Real Estate, and Tax Law. Section dues range from $15 to $50 annually, providing members with networking, leadership development, and specialized resources.
• Member Benefits Program Comprehensive membership benefits bundle including access to exclusive events, CLE credits, a $75 CLE coupon for new members, member discounts through partner vendors (Verizon, Brooks Brothers, UPS, Hertz, Staples, ADP), The Atlanta Lawyer magazine, volunteer opportunities, and networking programs.
• Leadership Academy Annual leadership development program for members of the Atlanta Bar Association focused on building leadership skills within the Atlanta legal community.
• Atlanta Bar Foundation The charitable arm of the Atlanta Bar Association supporting projects that promote equal access to justice, youth development programs including the Minority & Diversity Clerkship Program and Summer Law Internship Program (SLIP), and public understanding of the law.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 45,000 calls per year received by the Lawyer Referral and Information Service
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles6 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

15 partnerships are on record, tiered minor.

• CiteDepominorGTM or Marketing PartnerCiteDepo is an annual sponsor of the Atlanta Bar Association. As a sponsor, they receive visibility and recognition within the Atlanta legal community.
• StenominorGTM or Marketing PartnerSteno is an annual sponsor of the Atlanta Bar Association. The partnership provides promotional visibility within the Atlanta legal community.
• Ameris BankminorGTM or Marketing PartnerAmeris Bank is an annual sponsor of the Atlanta Bar Association, supporting the association and its community work.
• JAMSminorGTM or Marketing PartnerJAMS is an annual sponsor of the Atlanta Bar Association. As a dispute resolution provider, they support the association's community initiatives.
• The Home DepotminorGTM or Marketing PartnerThe Home Depot is an annual sponsor of the Atlanta Bar Association, receiving recognition as a supporter of the legal community.
• American Bar AssociationminorGTM or Marketing PartnerThe ABA Career Center is offered as a member benefit, allowing Atlanta Bar members to access job postings and career resources through the ABA platform.
• ADPminorGTM or Marketing PartnerADP offers 25% off RUN & Workforce Now Services to Atlanta Bar members as a member discount benefit.
• Brooks BrothersminorGTM or Marketing PartnerAtlanta Bar members receive 15% everyday savings at Brooks Brothers U.S. stores and online. Organization ID: 10154, Pin Code: 59889.
• CliominorGTM or Marketing PartnerClio, the world's leading provider of cloud-based legal technology, offers an exclusive discount to Atlanta Bar members. Clio is trusted by 150,000+ legal professionals in 130+ countries.
• ESQ SitesminorGTM or Marketing PartnerESQ Sites offers Atlanta Bar members a 25% discount on legal website packages. Prices start at $99.00 with promo code ATL.
• LawPayminorGTM or Marketing PartnerLawPay provides reduced processing rates and features built around law firm payment needs, offered as a member benefit.
• VerizonminorGTM or Marketing PartnerMembers receive 22% off monthly access fees, 35% off select accessories, and special promotions on equipment through Verizon Business and Verizon 5G Business Internet.
• HertzminorGTM or Marketing PartnerHertz offers exclusive rental rates to Atlanta Bar members.
• UPSminorGTM or Marketing PartnerUPS Savings Program offers up to 50% off Air, 30% off Ground, and continued FREE UPS Smart Pickup Service to members.
• StaplesminorGTM or Marketing PartnerAggressive cooperative contract pricing on 1000+ items plus 5% off non-core items from Staples.com.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• New York City Bar Association: Voluntary metropolitan bar association serving a large urban legal community with CLE programming, sections, lawyer referral, and member benefits — a directly comparable institutional model to the Atlanta Bar Association, simply at greater scale.
• Houston Bar Association: Voluntary metropolitan bar association serving Houston's legal community with CLE, practice sections, and referral services — same institutional archetype as Atlanta Bar in a different geography.
• Boston Bar Association: Regional voluntary bar association serving Boston-area lawyers with CLE, sections, public-service programming, and member benefits — directly comparable peer by mandate and operating model.
• Los Angeles County Bar Association: Major metropolitan voluntary bar association with practice-area sections, CLE, and a lawyer referral service — directly comparable in mission, structure, and revenue mix to Atlanta Bar.
• Bar Association of San Francisco: San Francisco's voluntary bar association, providing CLE, sections, and a Lawyer Referral and Information Service — directly comparable in mission and program mix to Atlanta Bar.
• Chicago Bar Association: Founded 1874, the CBA is one of the oldest and largest U.S. metropolitan bar associations, running CLE, member sections, and member-benefit programs structurally analogous to Atlanta Bar's offerings.

Regional players

• State Bar of Georgia: Mandatory statewide bar for all Georgia attorneys — overlaps with Atlanta Bar's CLE and referral offerings but at state level and with mandatory membership, providing a regulatory and programming peer reference within the same geography.

Emerging players

• National Bar Association: Predominantly Black American lawyers' national voluntary bar association — thematically a peer in the bar-association model (CLE, sections, pipeline programs) but with a distinct membership focus; relevant for shared pipeline initiatives like Atlanta Bar's Minority & Diversity Clerkship Program.

Broad incumbents

• American Bar Association: National voluntary bar association providing CLE, sections (e.g., Career Center co-marketed with Atlanta Bar), publications, and policy advocacy — operates broader and competes for CLE and member mindshare from the same lawyer audience.
• Practising Law Institute: Large, national CLE provider offering live, webcast, and on-demand programs — directly competes with Atlanta Bar's CLE programming line and is available to the same Georgia-bar members.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/atlantabar
• Facebookfacebook.com/atlantabarassociation
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/atlanta-bar-association

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Atlanta Bar Association