Membership Types

Membership Types

The membership in the Association is available to persons licensed to practice law, divided into the following classes:

Active Member:

Any such person who maintains active membership in the Virginia State Bar and who is engaged in practice with a law office located in the Richmond area, which area shall be defined as the City of Richmond, any political subdivision contiguous thereto, and Hanover County, or who is employed as an attorney by a corporation or employed as an attorney or in a judicial capacity by a governmental agency at its office so located, or who teaches law at any recognized law school so located.

Associate Member:

Resident Associate: Any such person who is employed in the Richmond area as an attorney by a corporation or firm, as a governmental attorney, or who teaches at any recognized law school so located, but who does not hold membership in the Virginia State Bar.

Continuing Associate: Any such person who has been a dues paying member of the Association, but who ceases to qualify for such membership other than by becoming a Judicial, Honorary, or Emeritus Member, may by the continued payment of dues, continue his/her membership so long as the person continues to be qualified to practice law.

Non Resident Associate: Any such person who is licensed to practice law and who practices or resides outside of the Richmond area.

Government Member: Any member of the Association who is employed by the government or the public sector.

Disabled Associate: Any member who has been transferred to the Disabled and Retired class of membership by the Virginia State Bar by reason of a permanent disability may, upon written request to the Executive Director, be classified as a Disabled Associate. Upon returning to active status with the Virginia State Bar, a Disabled Associate will resume active status in the Association.

Judicial Member: Any such person who is serving as a full time judge in a federal or state court in the Richmond area, or who has served as such and has not returned to the active practice of law.

Honorary Member: Any member of the Association who has been elected or appointed to a non judicial public office.

Emeritus Member: Any member of the Association shall automatically become an Emeritus Member on June 1 following the member’s seventieth (70th) birthday.

Law Student Member: Any such person who is currently enrolled in a law school, or who is currently enrolled, as approved by the Virginia Board of Bar Examiners, in the study of law in the office of an attorney or with a retired circuit court judge, and is not licensed to practice law. Such members are non-voting in any of the affairs of the Association. Student members shall be eligible to serve on selected standing and ad-hoc committees as identified by the Executive Committee. Membership in active Sections of the Association and/or participation in Section activities is at the discretion of the Executive Committee of each Section.

Membership dues are payable at the conclusion of the application period (click here for application information).

Active and Associate Members:

* Those practicing for 2-5 years:  $215
* Those practicing for 6+ years:   $270
* Government and public service attorneys:  $145
* Law Students:  $15