B.C. Bar Association
The British Columbia branch of the Canadian Bar Association, CBABC is a non-profit professional membership association providing BC lawyers with tiered memberships, CPD programs, 50+ practice-area Sections, a job board, compensation surveys, and advocacy on legal profession regulation.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1900
- HeadquartersVancouver, Canada
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What B.C. Bar Association does
B.C. Bar Association (CBABC) is the British Columbia branch of the Canadian Bar Association, a non-profit professional voluntary organization for legal professionals founded in 1896 and headquartered in Vancouver, BC. The organization provides membership services to BC lawyers across six primary segments — Career Starters, Solo and Small Firms, Firm Lawyers, In-House Lawyers, Public Sector Lawyers, and Judges — operating on a subscription-recurring model with tiered categories (Active, Special, Judicial, Law Students) and an annual renewal cycle running September 1 through August 31.
CBABC's core offerings include Professional Development Programs (CPD courses, webinars by series, conferences, on-demand catalogs, and mentorship) delivered through the CBAPD portal; a network of 50+ practice-area and identity-based Sections; a CBA Careers job board powered by Web Scribble Solutions; and a public Find-a-Lawyer directory. Ancillary products include Practice Coaches (volunteer advisory), the CBA(BC) Benevolent Society (crisis financial support), SoloLink (solo/small-firm community), BarTalk magazine, the Verdicts & Voices podcast, and the Robe Bank.
Revenue is generated through membership dues, paid PD programs (with up to 50% member discounts), one-time sales of BCLMA Compensation Survey reports ($465–$2,920 depending on firm size and participant/member status), job board posting fees, and event sponsorship/advertising. CBABC has no proprietary technology platform, no AI/ML capabilities, and operates with 11–50 employees. The organization is governed by a Board of Directors and Provincial Council and actively advocates on profession regulation, most recently intervening before the BC Supreme Court in defense of lawyer self-regulation under the Legal Professions Act.
B.C. Bar Association firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- B.C. Bar Association
- Legal name
- Canadian Bar Association
- Website
- https://cbabc.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1900
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- The British Columbia branch of the Canadian Bar Association, CBABC is a non-profit professional membership association providing BC lawyers with tiered memberships, CPD programs, 50+ practice-area Sections, a job board, compensation surveys, and advocacy on legal profession regulation.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
B.C. Bar Association industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Legal Professional Association Services
- NAICS
- Professional Organizations (81392), Professional Organizations (813920)
- SIC
- Services-Membership Organizations (8600)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Civil Liberties & Constitutional Rights Advocacy (BPAGAFAA)
Keywords
Where B.C. Bar Association is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Vancouver
- HQ country
- Canada
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
B.C. Bar Association business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others
Revenue model
- Membership Dues: Annual membership fees from lawyers and legal professionals in British Columbia, with category-based pricing for Active, Special, Judicial, and Law Student members. Renewals occur before August 31 annually.
- Compensation Survey Reports: Sale of BCLMA Compensation Survey reports to law firms, with tiered pricing based on firm size and CBA/BCLMA membership status. Survey participants receive 65% discount.
- Professional Development Programs: CPD programs, webinars, conferences, and on-demand professional development content for lawyers. Members receive up to 50% off program prices, with many offered free.
- Job Board and Recruitment: CBA Careers platform providing job posting services for employers seeking legal professionals, with featured posts and newsletter exposure.
- Sponsorship and Advertising: Event sponsorship opportunities and advertising on website, digital magazine, and newsletters to reach B.C. lawyers.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | One time | Charge-Out Rates Survey Report - Non-Participant |
| Unit Pricing | One time | Charge-Out Rates Survey Report - Participant |
| Unit Pricing | One time | Charge-Out Rates Survey Report - CBA/BCLMA Member |
| Unit Pricing | One time | Compensation & Benefits Survey - Firms 1-15 Lawyers |
| Unit Pricing | One time | Compensation & Benefits Survey - Firms 16-39 Lawyers |
| Unit Pricing | One time | Compensation & Benefits Survey - Firms 40+ Lawyers |
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels10 records
B.C. Bar Association product offering
Product offeringCore offering
CBABC is the British Columbia branch of the Canadian Bar Association, providing professional association membership for BC lawyers with access to CPD-accredited professional development programs, 40+ practice-area Sections for networking, the CBA Careers job board, Practice Coaches mentorship, BCLMA Compensation Survey reports, and public-facing tools including the Find a Lawyer directory. The organization supports the legal profession through advocacy, well-being resources, and community-building programs.
Product overview
B.C. Bar Association (CBABC) operates as a professional voluntary organization for legal professionals, offering a comprehensive portfolio of member services and public resources. The core offering is CBA Membership, which provides access to Professional Development Programs (including CPD, webinars, conferences, and on-demand courses), networking through 40+ Sections organized by practice area, and practice resources. Public-facing services include a Find a Lawyer directory and the CBA Careers job board powered by Web Scribble Solutions. The organization also provides specialized support through Practice Coaches (mentorship), the CBA(BC) Benevolent Society (crisis support), Lawyer Well-Being Resources, and reconciliation initiatives. Publications include BarTalk magazine and the Verdicts & Voices podcast. Annual BCLMA Compensation Surveys provide industry benchmarking data. Together these products support the professional development, networking, and well-being of legal professionals across British Columbia.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Quantifiable outcome
- $920 value of professional development free with membership renewal before August 31
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use B.C. Bar Association
Customer profileNamed customers3 records
Segments6 records
Ideal customer profiles6 records
B.C. Bar Association technology and API
TechnologyAPI detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration2 records
B.C. Bar Association partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- BCLMA (BC Legal Management Association)coreAnnual partnership to conduct BCLMA Compensation Surveys for BC law firms, covering charge-out rates and support staff compensation. Survey participants receive 65% discount on reports. Joint initiative helping law firms understand competitive landscape for compensation.
- BC Law InstituteminorCBABC appoints members to BC Law Institute committees. Current appointees include Aubin Calvert (Hunter Litigation Chambers) and Audrey Jun (Nidus Personal Planning Resource Centre and Registry).
- Continuing Legal Education Society of BCminorCBABC appoints members to CLÉ Society of BC committees. Current appointees include Manpreet K. Mand, Polly Storey, Gemma Walsh, and Brian Yuen across various term periods.
- Law Foundation BCminorCBABC appoints members to Law Foundation BC board. Current appointees include Karen Ameyaw (WorkSafeBC) and Zachary Murphy-Rogers (Clark Wilson LLP).
- Federal Judicial Advisory Committee for BCminorCBABC appoints members to assist with federal judicial appointments in British Columbia. Current appointee: Amy Mortimore, KC (Clark Wilson LLP).
- Association of French Speaking Jurists of BCminorCBABC appoints members to promote access to justice for French-speaking communities. Current appointee: Sarah Péloquin (Borden Ladner Gervais LLP).
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
B.C. Bar Association competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Federation of Law Societies of Canada: National body representing Canada's law societies on regulatory matters. Relevant peer for CBABC's advocacy and regulatory-engagement work, particularly around the Legal Professions Act.
- Canadian Bar Association (National): National parent organization of CBABC, providing overlapping membership services, advocacy, and PD across all Canadian provinces. Operates as a broader umbrella with provincial branches rather than a direct competitor.
- American Bar Association: Largest voluntary national legal association in the U.S., offering PD, Sections, publications, and advocacy — structurally analogous to CBA National, with comparable member services and content franchises.
- Federation of Asian Bar Associations: International legal association offering PD, networking, and advocacy. Weaker direct overlap but relevant as a broader professional-bar peer for cross-jurisdictional engagement patterns.
Regional players
- Barreau du Québec: Quebec's professional order for lawyers, combining regulatory and voluntary association functions. A relevant regional peer given Quebec's distinct legal system and similar combined-services model.
Direct peers
- Ontario Bar Association: Voluntary provincial bar association serving Ontario lawyers with PD, Sections, advocacy, and member services — the closest direct comparable by structure, mandate, and product mix.
- Continuing Legal Education Society of BC: BC's primary CLE provider, competing directly with CBABC on professional development programming while CBABC appoints members to its committees — a regulated-practitioner peer in the same province.
- Law Society of British Columbia: BC's legal regulator, with overlapping member/registry data, CPD accreditation, and lawyer-facing services. While regulatory rather than voluntary, it is the most direct institutional peer for BC lawyers.
Others
- Canadian Medical Association: National professional association for Canadian physicians. Comparable business model — voluntary membership, PD, advocacy, provincial branches — making it a useful structural and operational benchmark.
- Chartered Professional Accountants of Canada: Provincial CPA body in BC providing membership, PD, advocacy, and member services to a regulated profession. Comparable voluntary-membership model with similar product mix (PD, Sections, publications).
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
B.C. Bar Association social profiles
Digital presenceB.C. Bar Association financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
B.C. Bar Association leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles14 records
B.C. Bar Association funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
B.C. Bar Association 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 B.C. Bar Association
What does B.C. Bar Association do?
CBABC is the British Columbia branch of the Canadian Bar Association, providing professional association membership for BC lawyers with access to CPD-accredited professional development programs, 40+ practice-area Sections for networking, the CBA Careers job board, Practice Coaches mentorship, BCLMA Compensation Survey reports, and public-facing tools including the Find a Lawyer directory. The organization supports the legal profession through advocacy, well-being resources, and community-building programs.
Is B.C. Bar Association a public or private company?
B.C. Bar Association is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was B.C. Bar Association founded?
B.C. Bar Association was founded in 1900. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is B.C. Bar Association based?
B.C. Bar Association is headquartered in Vancouver, Canada, in the North America region.
How does B.C. Bar Association make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. Membership Dues are the primary driver. The others are compensation Survey Reports, professional Development Programs, job Board and Recruitment and sponsorship and Advertising.
Who are B.C. Bar Association's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Federation of Law Societies of Canada, Canadian Bar Association (National), American Bar Association and Federation of Asian Bar Associations. Barreau du Québec is listed as a regional player. Direct peers are Ontario Bar Association, Continuing Legal Education Society of BC and Law Society of British Columbia. Others are Canadian Medical Association and Chartered Professional Accountants of Canada.
Does B.C. Bar Association have an API?
No public API is recorded for B.C. Bar Association.
What industry is B.C. Bar Association in?
B.C. Bar Association's product category is Legal Professional Association Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAGAFAA, Civil Liberties & Constitutional Rights Advocacy. Its NAICS code is 81392 and its SIC code is 8600.