Virginia State Bar

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.

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

Product category

Legal Professional Regulation

NAICS

Legal Counsel and Prosecution (92213)

akta.pro primary industry

State/Provincial Courts & Judicial Administration (BPAIABAE)

Keywords

• Legal professional regulation
• Attorney licensing
• MCLE compliance
• Lawyer referral services
• Legal ethics

Headquarters

HQ city

Richmond

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. 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.
2. Clients' Protection Fund Fee: Active members pay a $5 annual CPF fee to protect clients from attorney misconduct.
3. Attorney Wellness Fund Fee: Active members pay a $30 annual wellness fund fee supporting lawyer health initiatives.
4. Lawyer Referral Service Fee: The VLRS charges a $35 non-refundable referral fee for connecting callers with attorneys for a 30-minute consultation.
5. 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.
6. MCLE Reinstatement Fees: Administrative suspension reinstatement fee of $250 plus $50 for each previous MCLE suspension, up to $500 maximum.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core 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.

Named customers2 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• FastCasecoreTechnology or IntegrationFastCase 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.
• SmokeballminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSmokeball 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 ServiceminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorNorthern 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 ServiceminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorNorthern Virginia referral partner for Alexandria area residents. Operates independently with separate phone (703) 548-1106 and website.
• Prince William County Bar Association Lawyer Referral ServiceminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorNorthern Virginia referral partner for Prince William County area. Operates independently with separate phone (703) 393-2306 and website.
• Virginia Free Legal AnswerscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFree 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)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFormerly 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

Regional 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

• Xx.com/vastatebar
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@VirginiaStateBar/featured
• Facebookfacebook.com/virginiastatebar
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/virginia-state-bar
• Instagraminstagram.com/virginiastatebar

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Virginia State Bar