North Carolina Bar Association

What North Carolina Bar Association does

The North Carolina Bar Association (NCBA) is the largest voluntary membership organization of legal professionals in North Carolina, founded in 1899 and headquartered at the NC Bar Center in Cary, NC. The organization serves over 18,000 members across its core segments: licensed attorneys (from first-year through 40+ years of practice), judges, paralegals, law students, and retired/emeritus members. NCBA also serves the general public through its Lawyer Referral Service, which connects consumers with member attorneys for $50 initial consultations.

NCBA's core products are organized as a platform-plus-benefits membership model rather than a unified software platform. Members receive complimentary access to vLex Fastcase (a legal research platform with AI features including Vincent AI, AI-generated case summaries, and AI headnotes, sponsored by Lawyers Insurance Agency), up to 12 hours of on-demand Expert Series CLE annually, a 20% discount on the broader NCBA CLE catalog, confidential BarCARES counseling (three free sessions annually via HRC Behavioral Health & Psychiatry), Center for Practice Management consulting, access to 31+ practice area sections and 4 career-stage divisions, a member directory, government affairs advocacy, the Career Center, the NCBA Health Benefit Trust (self-funded Blue Cross PPO and HDHP plans), and a broad affinity discount program (Clio, Lenovo, Office Depot, UPS, Avis/Budget, LawPay, etc.). The organization is affiliated with the North Carolina Bar Foundation, a separate 501(c)(3) that leads pro bono and civic education programs.

NCBA's business model is subscription-recurring across membership dues (tiered $0-$792 annually by member type and career stage), additional section fees ($40 each beyond one complimentary), CLE fees (with member discount), and transaction-based Lawyer Referral Service fees ($150 annual base plus 10% of collected client fees above $500). Go-to-market is community-led and event-driven, relying on professional networks, peer referrals, and recurring touchpoints through the Annual Meeting, Leadership Conferences, CLE programs, member socials, and webinars across North Carolina. The organization employs 51-100 staff led by Executive Director Jason M. Hensley (since January 2017), with rotating volunteer Presidents drawn from leading NC law firms.

Name

North Carolina Bar Association

Legal name

North Carolina Bar Association

Website

https://ncbar.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1899

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

The North Carolina Bar Association is the largest voluntary membership organization for legal professionals in North Carolina, serving 18,000+ attorneys, judges, paralegals, and law students with membership dues, CLE programs, vLex Fastcase legal research, BarCARES wellness support, practice management consulting, and 31+ practice area sections.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Cary

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: Annual membership fees from attorneys, judges, paralegals, law students, and affiliates. Rates are tiered by practice year for attorneys ($120-$396 annually) with special rates for judges ($198), paralegals ($99), retired ($99), emeritus ($198), and sustainer ($792) members. Law student membership is free.
2. Lawyer Referral Service Fees: Annual membership fee of $150 for LRS plus $50 per additional practice panel. Attorneys pay 10% of fees collected on matters where $500 or more is collected (5% for SSI, SSDI, and Workers' Compensation matters).
3. CLE Program Fees: Continuing Legal Education programs offered for a fee, with members receiving 20% discount on all NCBA CLE titles. Additional discounts available through section membership.
4. Section Membership Fees: Additional sections may be purchased for $40 each beyond the complimentary section included with membership.
5. Affinity Partner Discounts: Exclusive member discounts from partners including Clio (10% lifetime discount), Lenovo (up to 50% off), Office Depot (up to 55% off supplies), UPS (up to 65% on Next Day Air), and others, with NCBA potentially receiving referral fees or sponsorship income.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels11 records

Core offering

The North Carolina Bar Association is a voluntary nonprofit membership organization that provides legal professionals in North Carolina with access to a comprehensive suite of benefits, including complimentary vLex Fastcase legal research with AI tools, on-demand CLE programs, BarCARES wellness counseling, Lawyer Referral Service, practice management consulting, career services, member discounts, and networking through 31+ practice area sections and 4 divisions. Annual membership is tiered by career stage and member type, with revenue derived from dues, CLE fees, referral fees, and partnership income.

Product overview

The North Carolina Bar Association is a voluntary professional membership organization (not a technology product company) offering a platform-plus-benefits model for legal professionals. The core offering is NCBA membership which provides access to: vLex Fastcase legal research platform (sponsored benefit with AI-enhanced features including AI-generated case summaries and headnotes), Expert Series CLE on-demand continuing legal education, BarCARES wellness support, Lawyer Referral Service, Center for Practice Management consulting, Career Center, Member Directory, Health Benefit Trust insurance, Government Affairs advocacy, and 31 practice area Sections plus 4 Divisions for networking. The association also operates the North Carolina Bar Foundation as its affiliated 501(c)(3) charitable arm. These products and services are member benefits of a voluntary bar association, not a unified software platform.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• vLex Fastcase Legal Research Complimentary legal research platform available to NCBA members, offering comprehensive case law, statutes, regulations, and secondary materials with AI-enhanced features including AI-generated case summaries, AI headnotes, Vincent AI case analysis, CERT Citator for precedent tracking, and Interactive Timeline View.
• Expert Series CLE On-demand continuing legal education program providing up to 12 hours of complimentary quality CLE annually to NCBA members, covering ethics, professional responsibility, professional well-being, and technology training requirements.
• BarCARES Wellness Program Confidential short-term intervention program providing three free counseling sessions annually to NCBA members, addressing personal issues, family concerns, and professional stressors through HRC Behavioral Health & Psychiatry's network of therapists across North Carolina.
• Lawyer Referral Service (LRS) Service matching NCBA member attorneys with members of the public seeking legal representation via call center (919.677.8574) and web-based requests, with member attorneys offering initial 30-minute consultations at $50. Attorneys pay $150/year plus $50 per additional practice panel and 10% of fees collected on matters over $500.
• Center for Practice Management Free confidential law practice advisor consulting with NCBA members on issues from law firm start-up to wind down, including technology, legal research, marketing, and social media best practices.
• NCBA Career Center Job board and career resource platform allowing members to post open positions, search resumes, and connect with job seekers; includes 15% discount on job posting packages.
• NCBA Health Benefit Trust Self-funded health plan utilizing Blue Cross Blue Options network, offering PPO and High Deductible plans with competitive rates based on the plan's experience.
• NCBA Practice Area Sections Practice area-specific communities covering 31+ areas including Administrative Law, Antitrust, Appellate Practice, Bankruptcy, Business Law, Construction Law, Criminal Justice, Family Law, Health Law, Intellectual Property Law, Labor & Employment Law, Litigation, Real Property, Tax, and more, providing specialized networking and professional development.
• NCBA CLE Catalog Comprehensive catalog of CLE programs offered in multiple formats (In-Person Live, In-Person Replay, Rebroadcast, Live Webcast, On-Demand, and Phone/Audio), with 20% discount for members on all titles and additional 8% off for section-produced publications.
• Government Affairs Advocacy Advocacy team providing analysis on legislative topics with volunteer attorney experts serving as resource in the General Assembly, supporting justice issues for fair and equal access to justice.
• Lawyering in the Age of AI Program CLE programming focused on practical AI applications for transactional attorneys including contract drafting, due diligence, deal management, and risk assessment using AI tools, with attention to ethical considerations including confidentiality and data protection.

Quantifiable outcome

• Members receive up to 12 hours of complimentary on-demand CLE annually through Expert Series
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability5 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

16 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Lawyers Insurance AgencycoreGTM or Marketing PartnerLawyers Insurance Agency sponsors complimentary vLex Fastcase access for NCBA members and administers the NCBA Health Benefit Trust. They also fund administrative fees for BarCARES and provide insurance products including health plans, cyber insurance, professional liability, court bonds, business insurance, dental, life and disability, and structured settlements.
• HRC Behavioral Health & Psychiatry, P.A.coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHRC Behavioral Health & Psychiatry administers the BarCARES confidential counseling program, providing three free annual counseling sessions to NCBA members through their network of therapists across North Carolina. They handle all program contact, intake, and session coordination.
• vLex FastcasecoreTechnology or IntegrationvLex Fastcase provides NCBA members with complimentary unlimited access to the N.C. vLex Fastcase Web Library including state and federal opinions, statutes, regulations, and AI-powered research tools including Vincent AI case analysis.
• CliominorGTM or Marketing PartnerClio offers NCBA members a 10% lifetime discount on their cloud-based legal practice management software that simplifies operations and enables remote work.
• LenovominorGTM or Marketing PartnerLenovo provides NCBA members with up to 50% off tech products including laptops, desktops, monitors, and accessories.
• Office DepotminorGTM or Marketing PartnerOffice Depot offers NCBA members savings up to 55% on office supplies, business machines, computers, software, and furniture, and up to 70% on copy and print services.
• UPSminorGTM or Marketing PartnerUPS offers NCBA members savings up to 65% on UPS Next Day Air and 42% on UPS Ground shipping through the NCBA UPS Savings Program.
• Avis and Budget Car RentalminorGTM or Marketing PartnerAvis and Budget offer NCBA members up to 35% off base rates on car rentals with additional offers such as free upgrades or dollars off.
• North Carolina Bar FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNCBF is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization that leads pro bono and civic education programs and development initiatives for NCBA members and the public. NCBA leadership also serves as NCBF leadership.
• ABA Retirement FundsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerABA Retirement Funds provides flexible, tailored retirement plans exclusively to the legal community, with nearly 60 years of service to lawyers.
• Biltmore EstateminorGTM or Marketing PartnerBiltmore offers NCBA members $10 off admission to their 8,000-acre estate in the Blue Ridge Mountains using promo code 'ncba'.
• 8am LawPayminorGTM or Marketing Partner8am LawPay provides NCBA members with no monthly fee for 3 months and secure online payment processing for law firms with next-business-day deposits.
• Ruby ReceptionistsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerRuby's US-based virtual receptionists answer calls and chats 24/7/365, with NCBA members receiving an exclusive 8% discount.
• Lightwave SolutionsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerLightwave provides technology and telecom consulting at no charge for members, plus discounted rates with RingCentral business communications platform.
• North Carolina State BarcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe NC State Bar is the government agency responsible for regulation of the legal profession in North Carolina. NCBA works with State Bar on CLE reporting, disciplinary processes, and lawyer licensing. Note: There are ongoing disputes between NCBA and legislative committees tasked with reforming the State Bar.
• PBS North CarolinaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNCBA partnered with PBS North Carolina (formerly UNC-TV) to provide public access to judicial candidate forums and information about judicial elections.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• American Bar Association: The ABA is the largest national voluntary bar association offering membership, CLE, sections, and member benefits to U.S. attorneys — the national-scale analog of NCBA and its most direct peer in mission and operating model.

Direct peers

• New York State Bar Association: NYSBA is one of the largest voluntary state bar associations in the U.S., operating the same model of membership dues, CLE, practice sections, and member benefits as NCBA, but at much larger scale in New York.
• Virginia State Bar: The Virginia State Bar is the integrated (mandatory) bar in Virginia that also operates voluntary member services, CLE, and sections — directly comparable to NCBA's regulatory and voluntary-membership mix within a single neighboring state.
• South Carolina Bar: The South Carolina Bar operates as an integrated bar in a neighboring state, providing membership, CLE, sections, and lawyer referral services to SC attorneys. It is structurally near-identical to the NCBA model.
• Florida Bar: The Florida Bar is one of the largest integrated state bars in the U.S., combining regulatory functions with extensive CLE, sections, and member benefit programs. Comparable in scale and breadth of services to NCBA.
• State Bar of Georgia: The State Bar of Georgia is an integrated bar in a neighboring Southeast state, offering member services, CLE, and practice sections comparable to NCBA. It is a strong analog by geography and operating model.

Regional players

• North Carolina State Bar: The NC State Bar is the regulatory counterpart in NC — all licensed NC attorneys must join. It is not a voluntary membership organization like NCBA, but it shares the same NC geography and lawyer audience, making it the closest adjacent institutional peer.

Emerging players

• Practising Law Institute (PLI): PLI is a leading national CLE provider serving attorneys with live programs, on-demand courses, and treatises — directly comparable to NCBA's CLE catalog and Expert Series but operating at national scale without the membership model.

Others

• LawPay: LawPay (an AffiniPay company) is an affinity partner of NCBA providing online payment processing to law firms. Comparable as an ecosystem partner serving NCBA's members rather than as a competing organization.
• vLex / Fastcase: vLex (which acquired Fastcase) is the technology partner powering NCBA's sponsored legal research benefit. Comparable as the underlying technology vendor for one of NCBA's core member offerings.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/watch?v=LzZMiPQmpz0
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/north-carolina-bar-association
• Xx.com/NCBAorg
• Facebookfacebook.com/NCBAorg

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 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 North Carolina Bar Association