Virginia State Bar
The Virginia State Bar is the integrated state bar association of Virginia, regulating all licensed Commonwealth attorneys through mandatory membership, dues collection, MCLE compliance, ethics oversight, and the public Virginia Lawyer Referral Service, headquartered in Richmond.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1938
- HeadquartersRichmond, United States
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Virginia State Bar does
The Virginia State Bar (VSB) is the integrated state bar association for the Commonwealth of Virginia, established in 1938 under Part Six, Section IV of the Rules of the Supreme Court of Virginia and operating as a governmental agency accountable to that court. It fulfills four statutory missions: protecting the public, regulating the legal profession, advancing access to legal services, and improving the legal profession and judicial system. Every attorney licensed by the Virginia Board of Bar Examiners or admitted by the Supreme Court of Virginia is a mandatory member, spanning Active ($285/yr), Associate ($125/yr), Emeritus, Judicial, Retired, and Disabled ($0/yr) classes.
The VSB delivers its mandate through a web-based Member Portal that centralizes annual dues collection, Mandatory Continuing Legal Education (MCLE) compliance tracking (12 hours annually, including 2 ethics and 4 live hours), ethics advisory opinions, and access to the Disciplinary System. Supplementary products include the Virginia Lawyer Referral Service (VLRS), founded in 1977, which handles over 18,000 calls and 5,900 paid referrals annually at $35 per 30-minute consultation; the Clients' Protection Fund, which reimburses victims of attorney dishonesty (paying $264,643 across 17 petitions in April 2026 alone); MCLE course accreditation; FastCase legal research integrated via SSO; free Smokeball trust accounting and billing software; the bimonthly Virginia Lawyer magazine; and public-facing programs such as Virginia Free Legal Answers and Disaster Legal Services.
Commercially, the VSB functions as a dues-and-fees-funded regulatory body with no equity investors or external capital. Revenue streams consist of mandatory annual member dues, Clients' Protection Fund fees ($5), Attorney Wellness Fund fees ($30), VLRS referral fees ($35), and transactional MCLE non-compliance, late-filing, and reinstatement fees ($100-$500 per incident). Distribution runs through the online Member Portal, the VLRS phone lines, in-person services at its Richmond headquarters (1111 East Main Street, Suite 700), and referral partnerships with the Fairfax, Alexandria, and Prince William County bar associations serving Northern Virginia.
Virginia State Bar firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Virginia State Bar
- Legal name
- Virginia State Bar
- Website
- https://vsb.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1938
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- The Virginia State Bar is the integrated state bar association of Virginia, regulating all licensed Commonwealth attorneys through mandatory membership, dues collection, MCLE compliance, ethics oversight, and the public Virginia Lawyer Referral Service, headquartered in Richmond.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Virginia State Bar industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Legal Professional Regulation
- NAICS
- Legal Counsel and Prosecution (92213)
- akta.pro primary industry
- State/Provincial Courts & Judicial Administration (BPAIABAE)
Keywords
Where Virginia State Bar is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Richmond
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Virginia State Bar business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Annual Member Dues: Mandatory annual dues collected from Virginia attorneys based on membership class. Active members pay $250 annually, Associate members pay $125, with various exemptions for Judicial, Retired, Disabled, and Emeritus members.
- Clients' Protection Fund Fee: Active members pay a $5 annual CPF fee to protect clients from attorney misconduct.
- Attorney Wellness Fund Fee: Active members pay a $30 annual wellness fund fee supporting lawyer health initiatives.
- Lawyer Referral Service Fee: The VLRS charges a $35 non-refundable referral fee for connecting callers with attorneys for a 30-minute consultation.
- MCLE Non-Compliance and Late Filing Fees: Fees assessed for non-compliance with continuing legal education requirements: $100 non-compliance fee, $100 late filing fee, additional $100 for late reporting by February 1.
- MCLE Reinstatement Fees: Administrative suspension reinstatement fee of $250 plus $50 for each previous MCLE suspension, up to $500 maximum.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Annual | Active Member - Full licensing and voting rights |
| Subscription | Annual | Associate Member - Limited privileges, no practice rights |
| Subscription | Annual | Emeritus Member - Pro bono service only |
| Subscription | Annual | Judicial, Retired, Disabled Members |
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | Lawyer Referral Service Consultation |
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | MCLE Compliance Fees |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels5 records
Virginia State Bar product offering
Product offeringCore offering
The Virginia State Bar is an integrated state regulatory body that governs every attorney licensed to practice law in the Commonwealth of Virginia. It administers mandatory annual membership dues, MCLE compliance and reporting, legal ethics advisory opinions, attorney discipline, and the statewide Lawyer Referral Service connecting the public to attorneys for $35/30-minute consultations. It also operates the Clients' Protection Fund, publishes the bimonthly Virginia Lawyer magazine, and provides free legal aid through Virginia Free Legal Answers.
Product overview
The Virginia State Bar operates as a regulatory body for the legal profession in Virginia, offering a unified platform of membership management and compliance services for licensed attorneys. The core offering consists of the Member Portal, which integrates multiple services including the Lawyer Referral Service (VLRS), FastCase legal research SSO, and the MCLE compliance tracking system. Additional offerings include the Client's Protection Fund for reimbursing client losses, legal ethics advisory services, the disciplinary system, and Virginia Lawyer Magazine. Member benefits such as free trust accounting software (via Smokeball) and FastCase access are integrated into the portal. The VLRS makes over 5,900 referrals annually, and the MCLE system tracks annual continuing education requirements for over 12,000 credit hours across active members.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Virginia State Bar Member Portal Central online portal for Virginia lawyers to manage membership, pay annual dues, report MCLE hours, update contact information, and access member-only resources and services.
- Virginia Lawyer Referral Service (VLRS) Statewide service connecting the public with VSB member attorneys for 30-minute consultations via toll-free and metro phone lines. Makes over 5,900 referrals annually, receives over 18,000 calls yearly, with a $35 non-refundable referral fee.
- Mandatory Continuing Legal Education (MCLE) Compliance System Online system for tracking and reporting CLE credits. Active and Emeritus lawyers must complete 12 hours of CLE annually (including 2 ethics hours and 4 live hours) by October 31, with reporting deadline of December 15.
- Clients' Protection Fund Fund that reimburses clients for losses caused by attorney dishonesty. The CPF Board authorizes payments for petitions regarding Virginia attorneys, funded by a $5 annual fee from active members.
- Legal Ethics Advisory Service Provides formal advisory opinions and informal staff opinions on the Rules of Professional Conduct governing Virginia lawyers, covering ethics guidance for attorneys and law firms.
- Disciplinary System Oversees attorney discipline in Virginia, including investigations, hearings, and administrative actions such as suspensions and revocations of law licenses.
- Virginia Free Legal Answers Free online service connecting eligible Virginians with licensed Virginia attorneys for advice and counsel, periodically available especially during disaster relief efforts.
- Trust Accounting and Billing Software (Smokeball) Free trust accounting and billing software offered as a member benefit through partnership with Smokeball to help attorneys manage client funds and billing compliance.
Companies that use Virginia State Bar
Customer profileNamed customers2 records
Segments2 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Virginia State Bar technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration3 records
Feature1 record
Virginia State Bar partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- FastCasecoreFastCase is integrated into the VSB member portal through single sign-on (SSO), providing Virginia attorneys with access to legal research tools. This partnership enhances member value by offering discounted or free legal research services as a member benefit.
- SmokeballminorSmokeball provides free trust accounting and billing software to VSB members as a member benefit. This partnership helps attorneys manage their practice more efficiently and promotes compliance with trust accounting requirements.
- Fairfax Bar Association Lawyer Referral ServiceminorNorthern Virginia referral partner providing lawyer referral services for Fairfax County area residents. Operates independently with separate phone (703) 246-3780 and website.
- Alexandria Bar Association Lawyer Referral ServiceminorNorthern Virginia referral partner for Alexandria area residents. Operates independently with separate phone (703) 548-1106 and website.
- Prince William County Bar Association Lawyer Referral ServiceminorNorthern Virginia referral partner for Prince William County area. Operates independently with separate phone (703) 393-2306 and website.
- Virginia Free Legal AnswerscoreFree online legal advice service connecting eligible Virginians with licensed Virginia attorneys. VSB promotes this service especially during disaster relief efforts. Provides pro bono legal assistance to underserved populations.
- Virginia Judges and Lawyers Assistance Program (VJLAP)coreFormerly Lawyers Helping Lawyers, VJLAP provides free confidential non-disciplinary help to Virginia's legal professionals and families struggling with substance abuse, addiction, depression, and mental health issues. 24-Hour Help Line: 1-877-545-4682.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Virginia State Bar competitors and assessment
Company assessmentRegional players
- State Bar of California: California's integrated (mandatory) state bar, regulating all California attorneys through discipline, admissions, and member services. Operates an identical integrated bar model to VSB but for a much larger attorney population in a different state jurisdiction.
- The Florida Bar: Florida's integrated state bar with mandatory membership for all Florida-licensed attorneys. Closely comparable to VSB in regulatory function, dues structure, and service portfolio, but serving a different geographic jurisdiction.
- State Bar of Texas: Texas's integrated state bar, mandatory for all Texas attorneys. Mirrors VSB's integrated bar model with comparable regulatory, disciplinary, and MCLE functions, scaled to the Texas legal market.
- North Carolina State Bar: North Carolina's integrated state bar regulating all NC-licensed attorneys. Functions and structure closely parallel VSB's mandate to license, discipline, and serve attorneys, but operates in a different regional market.
- State Bar of Georgia: Georgia's integrated state bar with mandatory membership for Georgia attorneys. Operates similar regulatory, MCLE, and member service functions as VSB, but for a different Southeastern jurisdiction.
- Louisiana State Bar Association: Louisiana's integrated bar association, mandatory for all Louisiana attorneys. Structurally and functionally analogous to VSB as a state-court-created regulatory body, with comparable revenue and service model.
- Oregon State Bar: Oregon's unified (integrated) state bar regulating all Oregon-licensed attorneys. Closely comparable integrated bar model with similar regulatory and member service functions, operating in a different Pacific Northwest jurisdiction.
Broad incumbents
- American Bar Association: The largest voluntary national bar association in the U.S., providing professional development, ethics guidance, and advocacy. Unlike VSB, ABA membership is voluntary and operates nationally rather than within a single state's regulatory framework.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Virginia State Bar social profiles
Digital presenceVirginia State Bar compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance1 record
Virginia State Bar financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Virginia State Bar leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Virginia State Bar subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries1 record
Virginia State Bar funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Virginia State Bar M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Virginia State Bar
What does Virginia State Bar do?
The Virginia State Bar is an integrated state regulatory body that governs every attorney licensed to practice law in the Commonwealth of Virginia. It administers mandatory annual membership dues, MCLE compliance and reporting, legal ethics advisory opinions, attorney discipline, and the statewide Lawyer Referral Service connecting the public to attorneys for $35/30-minute consultations. It also operates the Clients' Protection Fund, publishes the bimonthly Virginia Lawyer magazine, and provides free legal aid through Virginia Free Legal Answers.
Is Virginia State Bar a public or private company?
Virginia State Bar is a private company. It is classified as state government owned and is currently operating.
When was Virginia State Bar founded?
Virginia State Bar was founded in 1938. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is Virginia State Bar based?
Virginia State Bar is headquartered in Richmond, United States, in the North America region.
How does Virginia State Bar make money?
Six revenue lines are on record. Annual Member Dues are the primary driver. The others are clients' Protection Fund Fee, attorney Wellness Fund Fee, lawyer Referral Service Fee, MCLE Non-Compliance and Late Filing Fees and MCLE Reinstatement Fees.
Who are Virginia State Bar's main competitors?
Regional players on record are State Bar of California, The Florida Bar, State Bar of Texas, North Carolina State Bar, State Bar of Georgia, Louisiana State Bar Association and Oregon State Bar. American Bar Association is listed as a broad incumbent.
Does Virginia State Bar have an API?
No public API is recorded for Virginia State Bar.
What industry is Virginia State Bar in?
Virginia State Bar's product category is Legal Professional Regulation. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAIABAE, State/Provincial Courts & Judicial Administration. Its NAICS code is 92213.