Knoxville Bar Association

What Knoxville Bar Association does

The Knoxville Bar Association (KBA) is a voluntary, not-for-profit professional membership organization based in Knoxville, Tennessee, representing more than 1,900 attorneys, judges, and law students across East Tennessee. Founded as an association in 1972, with its Lawyer Referral & Information Service (LRIS) established in 1958, the KBA is governed by a Board of Governors and operates with a small staff of 9 employees from its headquarters at 505 Main Street. It is explicitly positioned as the only non-profit lawyer referral service in the community.

The KBA's core product is the LRIS, which matches members of the public with private attorneys in good standing with the Tennessee Board of Professional Responsibility based on legal issue type and geography. The service covers nine East Tennessee counties (Knox, Anderson, Blount, Grainger, Jefferson, Loudon, Roane, Sevier, Union) and offers a free initial 30-minute consultation, with participating attorneys paying an administrative fee plus 15% of fees earned on referred matters. Supporting products include CLE programs (on-demand, live, and the CLE Abroad international offering), a Fee Dispute Resolution Committee, the online Lawline resource with 70+ legal topics, a Speakers Bureau, a Domestic Violence Handbook, an online Attorney/Law Firm Directory, a Find a Mediator directory, and a comprehensive Legal Resource Guide linking to community legal-aid partners. Technology is standard web-based: a website with online referral forms, member login, and event listings, with no proprietary platform or AI/ML capability described.

The business model is a hybrid of voluntary-membership dues, transaction fees from the LRIS (15% of referred-matter fees), ancillary revenue such as Law Library membership tiers ($40–$375), and advertising/sponsorship. The organization has two distinct customer bases: a paying side (attorneys and law firms that join and participate in the LRIS panel) and a free-to-consumer side (the general public that uses the referral service). Beyond the LRIS, the KBA functions as a community- and membership-services organization, hosting CLE, networking events, legislative commentary, and pro bono initiatives, with an extensive referral ecosystem including Legal Aid of East Tennessee, Family Justice Center, CASA, Disability Rights Tennessee, and HELP4TN. No revenue figures are disclosed; the organization has no parent company, no funding rounds, and no M&A activity.

Name

Knoxville Bar Association

Legal name

Knoxville Bar Association

Website

https://knoxbar.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1958

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Knoxville Bar Association is a not-for-profit voluntary bar association serving 1,900+ attorneys, judges, and law students in East Tennessee. It runs the region's Lawyer Referral & Information Service (LRIS), plus CLE programs, public legal education, and pro bono coordination across nine counties.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Knoxville

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, Others

Revenue model

1. Lawyer Referral Service Fees: Attorneys participating in the Lawyer Referral & Information Service pay an administrative fee plus 15% of the fees they earn from referred clients. This covers the LRIS operating expenses. The initial consultation is free to clients; attorneys pay the referral fee only if they take on the referred case.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

The Knoxville Bar Association is a voluntary, not-for-profit professional bar association serving more than 1,900 attorneys, judges, and law students in East Tennessee. Its central offering is the Lawyer Referral & Information Service (LRIS), established in 1958, which matches individuals seeking legal help with qualified attorneys and provides a free initial 30-minute consultation. Supporting offerings include continuing legal education programs, a Fee Dispute Resolution Committee, public legal education resources (Lawline Online), and a Speakers Bureau.

Product overview

The Knoxville Bar Association (KBA) is a professional membership organization serving over 1,900 attorneys, judges, and law students in the East Tennessee legal community. The KBA offers a portfolio of services centered on its Lawyer Referral & Information Service (LRIS), which provides free attorney matching with 30-minute consultations. Supporting services include CLE programs (on-demand and live), Fee Dispute Resolution for attorney-client fee conflicts, Lawline Online (free legal information on 70+ topics), a Speakers Bureau, and a comprehensive Legal Resource Guide. Public resources include DIY legal forms, the Domestic Violence Handbook, Find a Mediator directory, and online attorney/law firm directories. The KBA also facilitates Continuing Legal Education through its CLE Easy Pass program and hosts various member events and community outreach activities.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Lawyer Referral & Information Service (LRIS): The Lawyer Referral & Information Service of the Knoxville Bar Association, established in 1958, providing free attorney referrals and consultations to the public.
• Lawline Online
• Speakers Bureau
• Fee Dispute Resolution Committee

Products and services

• Lawyer Referral & Information Service (LRIS) Staff-conducted matching service that connects individuals needing legal help with experienced private attorneys based on their specific legal issue type and geographic location. Provides a free initial consultation of up to 30 minutes; attorneys pay an administrative fee plus 15% of fees earned from referred clients. Service area covers Knox, Anderson, Blount, Grainger, Jefferson, Loudon, Roane, Sevier, and Union Counties.
• CLE (Continuing Legal Education) Programs

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 3,000 people assisted annually through the LRIS
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

15 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Board of Professional Responsibility of the Tennessee Supreme CourtcoreOthersThe LRIS refers clients only to attorneys who are in good standing with the state Board of Professional Responsibility. This regulatory oversight ensures attorney quality and compliance with professional standards.
• Legal Aid of East TennesseecoreOthersKBA refers clients who need reduced-fee or pro bono attorneys to Legal Aid of East Tennessee. LAET serves low-income clients with civil legal needs including public benefits, housing, consumer, employment, health issues, and family law matters.
• Knox County Governmental Law LibraryminorOthersThe Law Library provides legal research resources and services to KBA members and the public. Library memberships are available with various fee tiers based on firm size.
• Community Mediation CenterminorOthersReferral partner for mediation services. The non-profit mediates disputes using trained volunteers. KBA's Find a Mediator service links people to this resource.
• CASA of East TennesseeminorOthersCourt Appointed Special Advocates provides volunteer advocates for abused and neglected children. Listed in the Legal Resource Guide as a special service.
• Disability Rights TennesseeminorOthersNonprofit providing free legal services to protect rights of Tennesseans with disabilities. Listed in the Legal Resource Guide as a special service resource.
• Office of Immigrant Services (Catholic Charities of East TN)minorOthersDOJ-recognized immigration legal assistance provider. Listed in Legal Resource Guide as a resource for immigrant communities needing legal help.
• Family Justice CenterminorOthersProvides coordinated approach to ending domestic violence through collaboration, education and advocacy. KBA refers domestic violence victims to this resource which provides safety planning, legal assistance, shelter access, and counseling referrals.
• Pro Bono ProjectminorOthersOperated by Legal Aid of East Tennessee in cooperation with Knox, Blount, Loudon and Sevier county bar associations. Supports volunteer attorneys providing free legal services.
• University of Tennessee Legal ClinicminorOthersProvides legal representation through law student clinics. Listed in Legal Resource Guide as a free/reduced fee service option for those who cannot afford counsel.
• Legal Aid Society of Middle Tennessee & the Cumberlands (Oak Ridge Office)minorOthersProvides free legal assistance for low-income individuals in Anderson, Campbell, Claiborne, Morgan, Roane, Scott and Union counties. Listed as referral resource in Legal Resource Guide.
• Legal Assistance for the Elderly ProgramminorOthersFederally funded program providing legal representation to qualified senior citizens (60+) in East Tennessee. Listed in Legal Resource Guide.
• HELP4TN and TN Free Legal AnswersminorOthersOnline civil law legal clinic allowing Tennesseeans to ask questions and communicate with volunteer lawyers via email. Listed as resource for those unable to afford counsel.
• Tennessee Bar AssociationminorOthersState bar association. KBA references directing members to TBA resources and state bar referral services for attorneys needed outside KBA's service area.
• Centro Hispano de East TennesseeminorOthersEducational nonprofit supporting Latino and immigrant families. Listed in Legal Resource Guide as a referral resource for immigrant communities.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Tennessee Bar Association: Statewide voluntary bar association in Tennessee. Broader incumbent operating across the entire state with overlapping CLE, referral, and member service offerings at significantly wider scope than KBA.
• American Bar Association: National voluntary bar association. A broader incumbent offering similar services (CLE, member benefits, advocacy, legal resources) at national scale rather than the regional focus of KBA.

Others

• Martindale-Hubbell: Long-standing legal directory and attorney rating service. Provides online attorney find functionality and referral-like services that are adjacent to KBA's Online Attorney Directory and Law Firm Directory.

Emerging players

• Avvo: Online legal directory and Q&A platform. Emerging player providing digital attorney find/matching services and lawyer reviews that could substitute for traditional bar referral services like KBA's LRIS.
• LegalZoom: Direct-to-consumer online legal services platform. Emerging player competing with traditional bar referral services by providing self-service legal documents and online attorney matching at scale, threatening the LRIS model.

Regional players

• Atlanta Bar Association: A regional voluntary bar association serving the Atlanta metro area. Comparable in mission, structure, and service offerings to KBA, but operating in a different geographic market without direct competition.
• Birmingham Bar Association: A regional voluntary bar association in Alabama. Comparable in structure and service offerings to KBA (CLE, LRIS, member services), but serving a different geography.

Direct peers

• Memphis Bar Association: Voluntary bar association in Memphis, TN. Direct comparable as a Tennessee voluntary bar association operating a lawyer referral service, CLE programs, and member services at similar scale to KBA.
• Nashville Bar Association: Voluntary bar association serving Nashville-area attorneys in Tennessee. The closest direct comparable in structure, scale, and service mix (LRIS, CLE, member benefits), with similar mission to connect the public with local lawyers.
• Chattanooga Bar Association: Voluntary bar association serving attorneys in the Chattanooga/Hamilton County area of East Tennessee. Directly comparable in geography, scale, and service offerings including CLE and member events.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/KnoxBar
• Facebookfacebook.com/KnoxBar
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/knoxbar
• Instagraminstagram.com/knoxbar

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 Knoxville Bar Association