Bar Associations - Student Memberships
By joining bar associations, law students can benefit from attending the programs and network with member attorneys. Below are a list of bar associations for consideration.
On this page:
- UB Law Alumni Association
While not technically a bar association, UBLAA offers up a number of benefits for law students, including networking opportunities, "power hours", and discounts to events.
Member Webpage: https://www.law.buffalo.edu/alumni/formMembership/studentMembership.html
Most Recent Graduating Class and Current Students: Free
Full Membership: Ranges from $35 to $75 per year; $1200 for lifetime membership.
Western New York Bar Associations
- Bar Association of Erie County
Membership Webpage: http://www.eriebar.org/MemberCenter/Membership/BecomeaMember
Student Membership: FREE, includes all privileges other than voting privileges.
Full Membership: Ranges from $110 to $225 per year, depending on years of experience. - Minority Bar Association of Western New York
Membership Webpage: https://www.mbawny.com/
Student Membership: $10 per year.
Full Membership: Ranges from $50 to $95 per year, depending on years of experience. - Women’s Bar Association of the State of New York, Western New York Chapter
Membership Webpage: https://www.wbasnywny.org/join-us
Student Membership: $10 per year.
Full Membership: Ranges from $70 to $95 per year, depending on years of experience. - Women Lawyers of Western New York
Membership Webpage: https://www.wlwny.org/
Student Membership: $10 per year.
Full Membership: $40 per year
State-Wide Bar Associations
- New York State Bar Association
Membership Webpage: http://www.nysba.org/membership/
Student Membership: FREE, with discounted (typically by around 50%) membership into the sections.
Full Membership: Ranges from $60 to $275 per year, depending on years of experience, plus additional costs for practice area sections. - Asian American Bar Association of New York
Membership Webpage: https://www.aabany.org/page/510
Student Membership: $15 per year.
Full Membership: Ranges from $75 to $125 per year, depending on years of experience. (Note: different rates for Public Sector practitioners). - Women’s Bar Association of the State of New York (WBASNY)
Membership Webpage: https://www.wbasny.org/content/membership-resources/join-wbasny/
Student Membership: $20 per year.
Full Membership: Ranges from $55 to $250 per year, depending on years of experience. (Note: different rates for Public Sector practitioners).
County Bar Associations (NY)
- Albany Bar Association
Membership Webpage: https://albanycountybar.org/?pg=join
Student Membership: $10 per year.
Full Membership: Ranges from $95 to $145, depending on years of experience. - Bar Association of Erie County
Membership Webpage: http://www.eriebar.org/MemberCenter/Membership/BecomeaMember
Student Membership: FREE, includes all privileges other than voting privileges.
Full Membership: Ranges from $110 to $225 per year, depending on years of experience. - Cattaraugus County Bar Association
Membership Webpage: https://cattarauguscountybarassociation.com/join-the-ccba - Genesee County Bar Association
Membership Webpage: https://cart.gcbalaw.org/memberships
Student Membership: $35 per year
Full Membership: Ranges from $100 to $210, depending on years of experience. - Jamestown (Chautauqua County) Bar Association
Membership Webpage: http://www.jbany.org/membership.html
Student Membership: FREE for Social Member (no voting rights); $75 per year for Affiliate Members. (such as interns or law school graduates who are not eligible for full membership) - Monroe County Bar Association
Membership Webpage: https://www.mcba.org/join/
Student Membership: FREE.
Full Membership: Ranges from $60 to $290 per year, depending on years of experience. - Niagara County Bar Association
Membership Webpage: https://niagaracountybarassociation.com/join
Full Membership: $40 per year if less than 4 years’ experience; $50 per year if 5+ years practicing. - Ontario County Bar Association
Membership Webpage: https://www.ontariocountybar.org/become-a-member.html
Student Membership: $20 per year.
Full Membership: $60 per year. - Westchester County Bar Association
Membership Webpage: https://www.wcbany.org/index.cfm?pg=joinWCBA
Student Membership: FREE.
Full Membership: Ranges from $95 to $185, depending on years of experience.
- American Bar Association - Law Student Division
Membership Webpage: https://abaforlawstudents.com/
Student Membership: Basic membership is FREE; Premium membership is $25. - National Bar Association - Nation's oldest and largest national network of predominantly African-American attorneys and judges.
Membership Webpage: https://www.nationalbar.org/
Student Membership: FREE
Full Membership: $125 - $250 per year
- Allegheny (PA) County Bar Association
Membership Webpage: https://www.acba.org/member-center/join-the-allegheny-county-bar-association/
Student Membership: $30 per year.
Full Membership: $140 per year (Note: different rates for Government & Legal Services). - Pennsylvania Bar Association
Membership Webpage: http://www.pabar.org/site/Law-Student-Signup/Law-Student-Application
Student Membership: FREE ($10 one-time fee for hard copy of PBA publications)
Full Membership: Ranges from $134 to $335, depending on years of experience. (Note: different rates for Government practitioners). - Philadelphia Bar Association
Membership Webpage: https://www.philadelphiabar.org/page/Join
Student Membership: $20 per year.
Full Membership: Ranges from $100 to $400, depending on years of experience. (Note: different rates for Public Sector practitioners).
- D.C. Bar Association
Membership Webpage: https://www.dcbar.org/for-lawyers/membership/how-to-join
Student Membership: FREE
- Canadian Bar Association
Membership Webpage: https://www.oba.org/Membership/Join-the-CBA
Student Membership: $20 in most jurisdictions (FREE in Ontario, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and Yukon).