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P.O. BOX 56551, Washington, DC 20040

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+1 (202) 349-1059

Email Address

info@washingtonbar.org

 

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Join the Washington Bar Association and Enjoy the Benefits of Membership

Since the WBA was founded in 1925, it has strived for excellence in the legal community and in the judicial system. As one of the first African American bar groups in the country, the WBA is a strong advocate for its members and the minority community on matters of justice and equality. Today, hundreds of attorneys enjoy the benefits of WBA membership. Members of the WBA are in private practice, public service, government, the judiciary, academia, in-house, and law school. The WBA’s diverse membership allows for great networking amongst members and provides members with access to numerous areas of law. Long established as a leading organization in the DC legal community, the WBA voices its concerns on legal issues, endorses worthy candidates for judicial office, provides student scholarships, hosts social and professional development programs, organizes public service projects, and more.

Why Join the WBA?

 

Professional Growth
  • Participation in committees involving the court system and other legal matters affecting the city.
  • Opportunity to prepare and present testimony on legal issues before various legislative bodies having jurisdiction over the District of Columbia.

 

Career Enhancement
  • Opportunities for professional advancement through networking with the lawyers and judges in the WBA and the legal community at large.
  • Awareness of career opportunities through announcements circulated through the WBA newsletter and Listservs.
  • Continuing legal education through meetings and presentations on various topics by local leaders in the profession.
Membership Qualifications
  • Qualification vary by membership type. See our type list and corresponding dues below.

Law Student

$5year
  • Currently attending an ABA accredited law school
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Associate

$30year
  • Law School Graduate
  • Unlicensed Attorney
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Young Lawyer

$65year
  • Licensed Attorney
  • Practicing for Five Years or Less
  • Or Under the Age of 36 Years Old

Regular

$75year
  • Licensed Attorney
  • Practicing for over Five Years
  • Or Older Than 36 Years Old

Judicial Council

$100year
  • $25.00(+ $75.00 Regular WBA member Dues)
  • $25.00 goes to Judicial Council's budget for programs and events.
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Lifetime

$2000
  • Enjoy lifetime membership to the WBA for one flat fee.
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Judicial Council Division

To accommodate the interests of a younger generation of judicial officers, and to direct more attention to local issues, in September 1999, the WBA created the Judicial Council Division of the Bar Association.

Law Students  Division

The LSD is a pipeline for the law students to establish relationships with Law Students, Attorneys, Judges, and other legal professionals during their law school career.

Young Lawyers Division

This group of approximately 200 young attorneys practicing in the Washington metropolitan area provides networking and professional development opportunities for its members.

FAQ

Who is a regular member?

Any lawyer in good standing of the Bar of the District of Columbia Court of Appeals, or the Bar of the highest court of any State, Commonwealth, Territory, or Possession of the United States shall be eligible for Regular or Sustaining Membership in the Association.

Any appointed and/or elected judicial officer in good standing of the Bar of the District of Columbia Court of Appeals, or the Bar of the highest court of any State, Commonwealth, Territory, or Possession of the United States shall be eligible.

Any lawyer meeting the requirements of regular membership and showing that the lawyers has been a member of the bar five (5) years or less or the lawyer is thirty six (36) years or under. Click here to learn more about the YLD

Any lawyer who meets the requirements of a regular membership and makes the designated lump sum payment of one time dues. Life members attend paid events without additional cost, no longer pay annual dues, and receive special recognition.

A student matriculating at any accredited law school of any State, Commonwealth, Territory or Possession of the United States, or the District of Columbia shall be eligible for Student Membership.

Associate Membership may be available to law firms, paralegals, professors, retired attorneys and graduates who have not yet passed a Bar. Associate members are eligible for membership benefits, designated by the Board. However, Associate members do not have voting privileges in the Association.

In the month of June.

The Bar year typically begins on the first Day of September, and ends on the day following the annual meeting in June.

Typically the first weekend in May. Please check the website annually for the exact date.

The objectives and purposes of the Association are: to improve, benefit and protect the well-being of the legal profession and its members; to enhance the professional skills of its members; to encourage professional and citizenship responsibilities among the Membership; to encourage spiritual and moral values; to advance the science of jurisprudence and the administration of justice; to improve the standards of legal education; and, to encourage legal research and excellence consistent with the philosophy of Houstonian Jurisprudence.

About us

We look forward to hearing from you.