WBA

What WBA does

The Wichita Bar Association (WBA) is a Kansas non-profit professional membership association founded in 1915 that serves attorneys and judges in Sedgwick County (Wichita metropolitan area), with approximately 1,300 members and a 1,400+ circulation Bar-o-Meter monthly publication. It is governed by an elected Board of Governors, with Kristen Wheeler installed as President for the 2026-2027 term, and operated by a lean staff of three (Executive Director Virdena Gilkey, Membership and Office Administrator Lupita Reyes, and Senior Law Librarian John Lewallen). Its mission is to promote professionalism, learning, and respect for the law and administration of justice.

The organization operates primarily through its website (wichitabar.org), which is powered by YourMembership.com association management software providing member directories, event registration, CLE enrollment, and a hosted Career Center (careers.wichitabar.org). Core services include Continuing Legal Education seminars delivered live, online, and via video replay; the Bar-o-Meter newsletter (with a $25 member subscription); the Find a Lawyer public referral service; conference room rentals at the Sedgwick County Law Center; mentoring and pipeline programs (Grow Your Own Lawyer since 1996, Summer Intern Program); the Sedgwick County Law Library (co-located at 225 N. Market, Suite 210); the Lee Woodard Technology Center (dedicated November 23, 2022); and the Judge Gregory L. Waller Public Interest Legal Fellowship. The Wichita Bar Foundation is a separately incorporated 501(c)(3) charitable affiliate.

Revenue is generated from tiered annual membership dues ($150 for 1st-2nd year attorneys, $225 for 3rd-4th year attorneys, $300 for 5+ year attorneys, $150 for out-of-area associate members; student and life members pay zero), CLE registration and handbook sales, Bar-o-Meter display advertising and subscriptions, conference room rentals, and event sponsorships (e.g., Judges' Day Golf, Bar Show). Distribution is community-led: members are acquired via referral from existing members, monthly luncheons (October through April), CLE programming, and the website. The GTM motion also monetizes a layer of vendor referral partnerships (LawPay, Principal Financial Group, Summit Employment Professionals, Shred-it, The Bar Plan).

Name

WBA

Legal name

Wichita Bar Association

Website

https://wichitabar.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1915

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Wichita Bar Association is a 1915-founded, Kansas non-profit professional membership association serving roughly 1,300 attorneys and judges in Sedgwick County, Kansas, with tiered annual dues, CLE programming, the Bar-o-Meter publication, a co-located law library, and pipeline initiatives like Grow Your Own Lawyer.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Legal Professional Association / Bar Association Services

NAICS

Professional Organizations (813920)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600), Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Law School Continuing Legal Education (CLE) & Executive Programs (EDAHAIAH)

akta.pro secondary industry

Apprenticeships, Pre-Apprenticeships & Work-Based Learning (EDAAAOAC)

Keywords

• Bar association services
• Legal professional membership
• Continuing legal education
• Legal community networking
• Law library services

Headquarters

HQ city

Wichita

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, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: Annual membership dues collected from attorneys and judges based on years since bar admission. Primary revenue source supporting association operations.
2. Bar-o-Meter Advertising: Monthly publication with circulation of over 1,400 members and legal community professionals. Revenue generated from display advertising sales.
3. Conference Room Rental: Rental of Sedgwick County Law Center conference rooms to WBA members (free) and external organizations for meetings and events at various rates.
4. CLE Seminar Fees: Continuing Legal Education seminars offered to members and non-members with registration fees. Handbooks available for purchase.
5. Sponsorships: Sponsorship opportunities for Judges' Day Golf Tournaments, Bar Show Program, and other WBA events.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

The Wichita Bar Association (WBA) is a professional membership organization serving attorneys and judges in Sedgwick County, Kansas since 1915. It sells annual membership subscriptions with tiered dues, Continuing Legal Education (CLE) seminars, a monthly publication (Bar-o-Meter), conference room rentals at the Sedgwick County Law Center, a public Find a Lawyer referral service, and operates the Sedgwick County Law Library. The organization also runs diversity pipeline programs (Grow Your Own Lawyer, Summer Intern Program) and the Judge Gregory L. Waller Public Interest Legal Fellowship.

Product overview

The Wichita Bar Association (WBA) is a professional membership organization serving the legal community since 1915. It offers a portfolio of services including the Bar-o-Meter monthly publication, Continuing Legal Education seminars, Find a Lawyer referral service, conference facilities, mentoring programs, and career center. The organization also operates the Sedgwick County Law Library and runs educational programs including the Grow Your Own Lawyer pipeline program and Summer Intern Program. Its charitable arm, the Wichita Bar Foundation (501(c)(3)), supports legal education initiatives. The WBA recently established the Judge Gregory L. Waller Public Interest Legal Fellowship to diversify the legal profession. Conference room facilities and CLE seminars are core member services, with the Bar-o-Meter serving as the primary communications publication.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Bar-o-Meter: Official monthly publication of the Wichita Bar Association with circulation of over 1,400 members
• Wichita Bar Foundation
• Young Lawyers Section (YLS)
• Wichita Women Attorneys Association
• Wichita Bar Senior Lawyers Section

Products and services

• WBA Annual Membership
• Continuing Legal Education (CLE) Seminars
• Bar-o-Meter Monthly Publication
• Find a Lawyer Referral Service
• Conference Room Rental
• Judge Gregory L. Waller Public Interest Legal Fellowship
• Grow Your Own Lawyer Program
• Summer Intern Program
• WBA Career Center
• Mentoring Program Program that pairs experienced attorneys with other attorneys seeking to develop professional skills, knowledge, and connections, aimed at helping attorneys attain a high level of professionalism and competence.
• Sedgwick County Law Library Law library with over 900 titles plus CD holdings and specialized materials, providing services for judges, attorneys, and the general public. Includes a Self-Help Center with printable legal forms and the Lee Woodard Technology Center.
• Speakers Bureau Liaison service between Wichita communities and WBA attorney members providing free speakers on all areas of law. Includes a Schools program connecting attorneys with classrooms for Law Day and Constitution Day.
• Wichita Bar Foundation (501(c)(3) Charitable Arm) Charitable arm of the WBA holding 501(c)(3) status. Accepts tax-deductible donations and memorial contributions to support educational and charitable programs promoting legal education, the legal profession, and appreciation of the Rule of Law.

Named customers4 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration2 records

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Wichita Bar FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Wichita Bar Foundation is the charitable arm of the WBA with 501(c)(3) status. Supports educational and charitable programs promoting legal education, advancement of the legal profession, and appreciation of the Rule of Law. Accepts tax-deductible donations and memorial contributions.
• Sedgwick County Law LibrarycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-located with WBA at 225 N. Market, Suite 210. Serves judges, attorneys, and general public with over 900 titles plus CD holdings. Includes Self-Help Center with printable legal forms and Lee Woodard Technology Center.
• Wichita Women Attorneys AssociationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNot-for-profit association promoting interests of women in the legal profession. Provides resources, opportunities, and support. Membership open to men and women. Meets monthly September through June.
• Young Lawyers SectioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSection of WBA focused on assisting new attorneys. Eligibility: members 35 or younger, or within first five years of practice. Meets second Thursday monthly (September-May) for after-work social hour.
• Wichita Bar Senior Lawyers SectionminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSection for WBA members 55 years of age or older. Meets socially with calendar updates for meeting information.
• Wichita Area Chapter of Legal AdministratorsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFounded in 1981, became first Kansas chapter of The International Association of Legal Administrators in 1987. Addresses issues and problems within the legal field.
• LawPayminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPreferred credit card processing company for WBA members. Provides attorneys with secure way to accept online credit card payments. WBA receives referral partnership benefit.
• Principal Financial GroupminorGTM or Marketing PartnerInsurance provider offering up to 30% discounts on individual disability income insurance for WBA members.
• Summit Employment ProfessionalsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerWBA's recommended staffing provider offering substantial discounts to WBA members for staffing needs.
• Shred-itminorGTM or Marketing PartnerDocument destruction company providing discounts to WBA members upon identification.
• YourMembership.comcoreTechnology or IntegrationAssociation management software provider powering the WBA website. Provides membership management, event registration, email marketing, and career center functionality.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Kansas Bar Association: The integrated (mandatory) statewide bar association for Kansas. WBA members must already be KBA members, making KBA the higher-tier incumbent with regulatory authority, statewide CLE programming, and advocacy services that sit above WBA's voluntary local offering.
• American Bar Association: The largest national voluntary professional association for U.S. lawyers. Operates as a broad incumbent offering membership, CLE, publications, and advocacy at a national scale, with a directly comparable business model but vastly larger geographic and membership footprint than WBA.

Regional players

• Missouri Bar: Mandatory statewide bar association for Missouri lawyers. Operates a similar membership dues, CLE, and member-services model serving a neighboring state's legal market without direct geographic overlap with WBA.
• State Bar of Texas: Mandatory statewide bar association for Texas lawyers and the largest state bar by membership. Operates a comparable CLE, member services, and section-based programming model, but in a different U.S. region without direct overlap with WBA's market.
• Oklahoma Bar Association: Mandatory statewide bar association for Oklahoma lawyers. Similar membership, CLE, and member-benefit partnership model operating in a neighboring state with comparable market size and legal market dynamics to Kansas.
• State Bar of Michigan: Statewide bar association for Michigan lawyers. Operates the same fundamental voluntary/integrated bar membership, CLE, and member-service model as WBA but in a different U.S. region with no geographic overlap.

Direct peers

• National Bar Association: National professional association predominantly for African-American attorneys and the minority legal community. Directly comparable in providing membership services, CLE programming, and pipeline/diversity initiatives, but operating nationally and with a different demographic focus.
• Johnson County Bar Association: County-level voluntary bar association serving the suburban Kansas City metropolitan area in Kansas. Closest direct geographic peer to WBA in terms of size, voluntary membership model, target market of local attorneys, and CLE/networking service offering within Kansas.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/100063623947501
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/wichita-bar-association

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

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 WBA