King County Bar Association

What King County Bar Association does

King County Bar Association (KCBA) is a nonprofit professional membership organization founded in 1886 and headquartered in Seattle, Washington (1200 5th Ave, Suite 700). It functions as the primary bar association for attorneys in King County, delivering member services — Continuing Legal Education, the Bar Bulletin publication, committees, sections, the New Lawyers Division, the Washington Lawyer's Practice Manual, and the Probate Policy & Procedure Manual — alongside a Lawyer Referral Service that connects the public with member attorneys. Revenue is generated principally through recurring annual membership dues and referral transaction fees; specific pricing is not publicly disclosed.

KCBA simultaneously operates a substantial access-to-justice portfolio of direct legal service programs. These include the Housing Justice Project (free eviction defense with courthouse clinics at the King County Courthouse in Seattle and the Maleng Regional Justice Center in Kent, plus a Spokane office), the Domestic Violence Legal Advocacy Project (DVLEAD), Kinship Care Solutions and the Legal Advice and Referral for Kinship Care (LAARK) line, the Self-Help Plus Program for uncontested family law matters, The Records Project for criminal record vacatur (limited to residents at or below 200% of federal poverty level), and Neighborhood Legal Clinics providing brief advice and referrals. The affiliated King County Bar Foundation (KCBF), a 501(c)(3) established in 1979, funds these pro bono programs through voluntary donations and grants minority law student scholarships at the University of Washington School of Law and Seattle University School of Law.

The organization markets primarily through its website, the monthly Bar Bulletin, community events (MLK Luncheon, Breakfast with Champions, Annual Awards Celebration, Law Day, Racial Bias Series, townhalls), and volunteer outreach. Distribution of services occurs principally through courthouse clinics, the Lawyer Referral Service, and program-specific intake. A restructuring effective March 10, 2026 terminated the Legal Assistant Program after the function became largely obsolete with electronic filing and virtual proceedings. Technology infrastructure is minimal: there is no disclosed API, no mobile application, no AI/ML capability, and no enterprise integrations. KCBA operates with 11-50 employees and is governed by a Board of Trustees; KCBA has no parent company and no disclosed funding rounds, acquisitions, or equity transactions.

Name

King County Bar Association

Legal name

King County Bar Association

Website

https://kcba.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1886

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

King County Bar Association is a Seattle-based nonprofit founded in 1886 that serves as the primary professional membership organization for King County, Washington attorneys while operating an access-to-justice portfolio including eviction defense, domestic violence advocacy, kinship care, criminal record vacatur, and self-help family law services.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Legal Services

NAICS

Professional Organizations (813920), Business, Professional, Labor, Political, and Similar Organizations (8139)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600), Services-Legal Services (8111)

akta.pro primary industry

Legal Aid & Client Advocacy Services (BPAGAEAM)

Keywords

• Legal aid services
• Professional bar association
• Lawyer referral services
• Continuing legal education
• Civil legal assistance

Headquarters

HQ city

Seattle

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, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: KCBA generates revenue through annual membership dues from legal professionals practicing in King County, Washington.
2. Lawyer Referral Service: A referral service that connects individuals seeking legal representation with qualified attorneys, generating fees through the referral network.
3. Charitable Donations (KCBF): The King County Bar Foundation (501(c)3) raises voluntary donations to support pro bono legal service programs and minority law student scholarships at UW and Seattle University law schools.

Pricing tiers

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

King County Bar Association (KCBA) is a nonprofit professional bar association founded in 1886 that serves the legal community of King County, Washington. It provides paid membership services to licensed attorneys and delivers free civil legal aid to low-income individuals through a portfolio of clinics and advocacy programs, supported by the affiliated King County Bar Foundation.

Product overview

The King County Bar Association operates as a unified legal services organization offering multiple interconnected programs. The core offerings include Neighborhood Legal Clinics providing free brief legal advice, the Housing Justice Project assisting low-income tenants facing eviction, the Domestic Violence Legal Advocacy Project representing survivors of domestic violence, and specialized kinship care programs (Kinship Care Solutions and LAARK) helping relatives caring for children. Additional services include the Self-Help Plus Program for uncontested family law matters, The Records Project for criminal record vacatur, Lawyer Referral Service for attorney connections, and Pro Bono Services through volunteer attorneys. The association also provides Continuing Legal Education for attorneys and publishes the Bar Bulletin. The affiliated King County Bar Foundation (501(c)(3)) supports these programs through charitable donations and scholarships. Together these services form a comprehensive legal aid ecosystem serving both attorneys and the public.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Attorney Membership Paid annual membership program for licensed attorneys providing professional affiliation, access to KCBA programs, and inclusion in the legal community of King County, Washington.
• Lawyer Referral Service Public-facing referral service that connects individuals seeking legal assistance with panel attorneys from the KCBA membership. Operated by telephone and serves as a client acquisition channel for member attorneys.
• Continuing Legal Education (CLE) Educational programming for attorneys to fulfill mandatory CLE credit requirements and develop substantive legal skills. Targeted at KCBA members and the broader Washington State bar.
• Bar Bulletin Periodic publication of the King County Bar Association distributed to the legal community, featuring substantive legal articles, member news, and association updates.
• Neighborhood Legal Clinics Free walk-in legal advice clinics hosted at courthouses and community locations across King County. Volunteer attorneys provide brief consultations to self-represented individuals on civil legal matters.
• Housing Justice Project Program providing free legal representation and advocacy to low-income tenants in King County facing eviction, habitability issues, and other housing-related civil matters.
• Domestic Violence Legal Advocacy and Education (DVLEAD) Free legal advocacy and education program for survivors of domestic violence in King County, assisting with protection orders, family law matters, and safety planning.
• Kinship Care Solutions Program providing free legal assistance to kinship caregivers (relatives and close family friends raising children) navigating guardianship, custody, and other family-law matters in Washington State.
• Self-Help Plus Program assisting self-represented individuals with civil court forms, procedures, and case preparation, typically delivered through courthouse-based drop-in services.
• Records Project Program assisting eligible individuals in King County with clearing or vacating qualifying criminal records, supporting reentry and removing barriers to housing and employment.

Quantifiable outcome

• Free legal representation to vacate criminal convictions for King County residents at or below 200% federal poverty level
• +1 more outcomes

Segments7 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• University of Washington School of LawcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1979KCBF makes grants to the University of Washington School of Law for minority law student scholarships, supporting diversity in the legal profession.
• Seattle University School of LawcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1979KCBF makes grants to Seattle University School of Law for minority law student scholarships, supporting diversity in the legal profession.
• EDSL Hotline (Spokane)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFor Spokane clients with filed eviction cases, the Housing Justice Project refers individuals to the EDSL hotline (1-855-657-8387) for attorney representation.
• DV HopelineminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDomestic violence survivors seeking advocates can reach the DV Hopeline 24/7 at 206-737-0242 for referrals to domestic violence service organizations in King County.
• King County CourtscoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerHJP provides legal clinics within King County courthouses including King County Courthouse in Seattle and Maleng Regional Justice Center in Kent, operating as a law office within the court system to assist tenants with eviction cases.
• Spokane Public LibraryminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPre-eviction legal clinic held at Spokane Public Library - Central, 2nd Floor (906 W. Main Ave), offering 30-minute consultations with housing attorneys on the 1st and 3rd Friday of each month.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• American Bar Association: National voluntary bar association with overlapping CLE, publications, sections, and pro bono programs. Comparable because it operates the same membership + professional development + public service model, but at much larger scale and geographic breadth.

Regional players

• Oregon State Bar: State bar association governing Oregon attorneys. Comparable to KCBA as a state-level membership bar with CLE, publications, and member services, but it serves Oregon lawyers rather than King County.
• Legal Aid Services of Oregon: Oregon's primary legal aid organization serving low-income residents on housing, family, and consumer matters. Comparable as a state-level legal aid peer with similar pro bono program structure and overlapping subject-matter verticals (housing, family law).
• Alaska Bar Association: State bar association governing Alaska attorneys. Comparable as a state-level bar with mandatory membership, member services, and CLE offerings, but operating in a different (less urban) geographic context.

Direct peers

• Northwest Justice Project: Washington's largest legal aid provider for low-income residents, covering civil legal services including housing. Highly comparable on the pro bono / legal aid side — overlapping target populations (low-income tenants, domestic violence survivors) and courthouse-based service delivery.
• Washington State Bar Association: State-level mandatory bar association governing all licensed Washington attorneys. WSBA is the most direct comparability point — same bar-association model, overlapping CLE, member, and public-service functions, but at state-wide scale rather than King County.
• Eastside Legal Assistance Program: King County-based legal aid provider serving east-side residents with free civil legal services. Directly comparable on the legal aid side — same county, same target population (low-income tenants, family law clients), and similar clinic-based delivery.
• Columbia Legal Services: Statewide Washington legal aid organization serving low-income clients on housing, family law, and civil matters. Comparable as a peer legal-aid provider with overlapping programs (housing, family law) and overlapping courthouse-anchored delivery in Western Washington.

Others

• CLEAR (Coordinated Legal Education, Advice and Referral): While CLEAR is closely associated with KCBA's Lawyer Referral Service and Neighborhood Legal Clinics, comparable peer functions exist in other state courts via statewide telephone-based legal referral hotlines (e.g., LawHelp.org). Listed here as an OTHERS — adjacent referral infrastructure rather than a direct competitor.

Emerging players

• Federal Bar Association: National voluntary bar association for federal practitioners. Comparable as a membership-association peer offering CLE, publications, and sections, but with a federal-court focus rather than a county-based jurisdiction.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/kingcountybar
• Facebookfacebook.com/kingcountybar
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/king-county-bar-association

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 King County Bar Association