Virginia Bar Association

Formed in 1888, the Virginia Bar Association (VBA) was the first state-wide bar association established for the general purpose of supporting the practice of law in Virginia. The objectives of the Virginia Bar Association are to encourage collegiality among attorneys practicing in Virginia, aid in necessary reform of the law, and support the equal and far administration of justice. As an entirely voluntary organization without a special interest objective beyond the general legal community in Virginia, the Virginia Bar Association allows for any attorney that is licensed to practice law in Virginia to join as a member.

The Virginia Bar Association is incredibly active within the state’s legislative and judicial systems. Members of the VBA are able to have an impact on the decision as to who will fill judicial vacancies by joining the many different judicial committees for both state and federal court. Additionally, the Virginia Bar Association lobbies for legislative changes desired by its members during every session of the Virginia Assembly.

Members of the Virginia Bar Association are encouraged to interact with one another through the Virginia Bar Association in a number of different ways. Each year, the Virginia Bar Association holds two meetings, one in the summer and one in the winter, at which members are able to network with other members from other parts of the state that they would not have met otherwise. There are also no less than nineteen different sections for different areas of law that allow VBA members to connect with others in their practice areas outside of their local legal communities.

There are several ways that the Virginia Bar Association and its members aid the general public of Virginia. Some of the Virginia Bar Association’s programs are aimed at providing legal help to those in need, such as the Virginia National Guard Project that puts together a list of members that are willing to provide low-cost legal services to members of the Virginia National Guard and the Credit Issues Project that educates teenagers about the legal impact of bad credit. Other programs run by the VBA have a more general beneficial purpose, including the annual Legal Food Frenzy drive that collects food for low-income families and the Mentor Program that matches lawyers with preteens to educate the preteens about the dangers of substance abuse.

Contact the Virginia Bar Association:

701 E. Franklin St., Suite 1120

Richmond, VA 23219

804-644-0041

thevba@vba.org