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Contact Membership @:8000 Weston Parkway
Cary, NC 27513
(919) 677-0561
1-800-662-7407
ecleghorn@ncbar.org
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Membership FAQs
Below are the frequently asked questions, related to NCBA membership:
For more information about NC Casemaker, or to have a membership application faxed or mailed, please call Director of Membership and Marketing, Erin Cleghorn at 1-800-662-7407 or e-mail ecleghorn@ncbar.org.
Q. What is the difference between the North Carolina State Bar (NCSB) and the North Carolina Bar Association (NCBA)?
A. The North Carolina State Bar is the regulatory body for the legal profession in the state. It is mandatory that all lawyers pay their annual dues to the State Bar. To reach the State Bar, please call (919) 828-4620.
The North Carolina Bar Association is a voluntary association serving the diverse needs of the legal profession with member services such as continuing legal education, legislative lobbying, specialty sections, public service activities and much more. The NCBA also has a Foundation, which has the primary objective of funding worthy projects or activities within the Association and the Foundation, as well as respond to other legally related needs in the community.
| Q. What is the cost of membership?
A.
The NCBA membership year runs from July 1 through June 30; dues are not prorated. However, if you join for the first time in April, your membership extends for 15 months.
First year licensed to practice in NC by comity or exam in 2011 or 2012: free
2010 - $85
2009 - $110.00
2008 - $120.00
2007 - $175.00
2006 or before - $255.00
* These attorneys also receive membership to a free section of their choice.
| Q. Do I have to be licensed in North Carolina to join? Do I have to live in North Carolina to join?
A.
Those who are licensed in a state other than North Carolina and are living in North Carolina are eligible to join the NCBA as a Regular member. If you are licensed in North Carolina and live out of state, you are also eligible as a Regular member.
If you are licensed outside of North Carolina and live outside of North Carolina, you may join as an Associate member. Associate members cannot hold NCBA office, cannot vote and are not eligible for insurance programs; associate members can participate in all other membership privileges.
| Q. When do I age out of YLD?
A. The Young Lawyers Division is made up of all NCBA members who are under 36 years of age [before July 1 - when the new bar year starts] or in their first three years of practice in North Carolina.
| Q. What are the different categories of membership?
A.
Regular: A regular member is an attorney licensed in good standing
with the NC State Bar or is a resident of North Carolina who is
licensed and in good standing with a state bar other than the NCSB.
Associate: Resident of a state other than North Carolina and
licensed in good standing with a state bar other than North
Carolina. Associate members cannot hold NCBA office, cannot vote
and are not eligible for insurance programs. Associate members can
participate in all other membership privileges.
Sustaining: Sustaining members meet the requirements of regular
members and enable the Association to accomplish goals outlined in
the mission statement and further the implementation of the
Long-Range Plan by voluntarily paying twice their annual dues.
Sustaining members are recognized throughout the year by the
Association for their outstanding support.
International: Lawyer licensed outside the United States
receives the same member benefits as an Associate member. This
application must be completed with the International Lawyers
Sponsor form, signed by a Regular member of the NCBA. To receive
this sponsor form, call 1.800.662.7407.
Emeritus: Emeritus members meet the requirements of regular
members. Emeritus members attain this status by reaching the age of
70 and maintaining at least 25 years of consecutive NCBA
membership. When attorneys receive Emeritus status they no longer
have to pay dues to maintain their membership. If they choose, they
can still pay dues at which time they receive the status of
Sustaining Emeritus members.
Law Student: Students enrolled at ABA-accredited law schools may
join our Law Student Division for free.
Paralegals: Paralegals who meet the requirements for membership
in our Paralegals Division are welcome to join.
| Q. Does the NCBA have an inactive status?
A. Due to the fact that we are a voluntary association, we do not offer an inactive status.
| Q. If I am on inactive status with the N.C. State Bar, may I still belong to the NCBA?
A. Yes, our requirement is that you be a member in good standing with the State Bar, and inactive status is considered in good standing.
| Q. Is my member number the same as my State Bar number?
A. No, when you join the NCBA, you receive a number different than your State Bar number. When you are asked for a member number on our Web site or on our CLE materials, we are referring to your NCBA number, not your State Bar number, unless otherwise specified.
| Q. How do I obtain my member number and password?
A.
Your member number and password is included at the top of your annual dues statement. However, you may also call the NCBA at 1-800-662-7407 or (919) 677-0561 and ask for membership. Or, you can send an e-mail from the Web site and request the information. Click on Webmaster at the bottom of the home page.
Your e-mail will be forwarded to the appropriate person. However, if we have your current e-mail address on file and you know your NCBA member number, you may click here and your password will automatically be sent to you.
| Q. What is NC Casemaker?
A.
In June 2001, the NCBA launched NC Casemaker, an online legal research tool. Members receive unlimited access to this tool as a membership benefit.
NC Casemaker provides access to both North Carolina and Federal research materials including case law, general statutes and the pattern jury instructions, as well as access to the information of the 21 other states that belong to the Lawriter consortium.
| Q. Where are you located? How do I get to the Bar Center?
A. The NC Bar Center is located in Cary, just outside of Raleigh. From I-40, take Exit 287 - Harrison Avenue, and proceed toward Cary (from I-40 East, take a right; from I-40 West, take a left). On Harrison Avenue, take a right at the third light to Weston Parkway. The Bar Center is 1 ½ miles down Weston Parkway on the right. 8000 Weston Parkway, Cary, NC 27513.
| Q. Do you offer affiliate memberships for legal-related companies?
A. We do not offer this type of membership to companies. Membership to the NCBA is limited to licensed lawyers, law students, paralegals, and judges. We do offer affiliate memberships in specific sections. Please see question below for specific guidelines for affiliate membership.
| Q. Am I a Legal Services attorney? Am I a Government attorney?
A. A legal aid attorney works for Legal Aid of North Carolina (LANC) or for other legal services providers, which provide free or low-cost legal representation to people of modest means in the state. A government attorney works directly for the state or federal government. It does not include professors at state institutions.
| Q. Do you have a membership directory available for purchase? Or, is there are place I can look up members online?
A. We used to include a free membership directory to all members, but unfortunately our contract with the publisher was cancelled and producing a book with another publisher became cost prohibitive. Members can get updated member information at our online membership directory. You will need to log in with your member number and password. We are also going to be making available a simplified hard copy of the directory at a minimal cost (available for members only). If you would like to inquire about the hard copy, please contact the membership department at 1-800-662-7407.
| Q. Are there any sections that non-lawyers can join?
A.
We offer an affiliate status in seven of our sections. If you meet
the guidelines in any of these sections, we welcome you to join.
Click here to go to the "Join a Section" page.
- Administrative Law: Open to nonlawyer rule-making
coordinators.
- Dispute Resolution: Open to nonlawyer mediators.
- Environment, Energy & Natural Resources Law: Open to
nonlawyer environmental professionals.
- Intellectual Property Law: Open to nonlawyer patent
agents.
- Juvenile Justice & Children's Rights: Open to nonlawyer
professionals dealing with children's rights.
- Law Practice Management: Open to nonlawyer firm administrators,
affiliates of Paralegal Division and nonlawyer law librarians. If
you are a licensed lawyer, in any state, we require that you join
the Association and the section that interests you.
- Workers' Compensation: Open to non-lawyer professionals who are
involved in workers' compensation law.
| Q. What is the difference between the Corporate Counsel and Business Law sections, as far as membership requirements?
A. In order to be a member of the Corporate Counsel Section, you are required to be a full-time, in-house counsel. The Business Law Section’s members need only deal in law pertaining to the business sector generally, and need not be connected to only one company or corporation.
| Q. I am a paralegal. Can I join the Paralegal Division?
A. We do have a Paralegal Division (PD) that can meet many of your needs. They are a very active group that provides networking and learning opportunities and a quarterly newsletter.
They also receive many of the benefits of membership as other members of the NCBA. There are several requirements in order to join. Click here to see the LAD application.
| Q. When and where is the NCBA Annual Meeting and Convention?
A. The Annual Meeting this year is being held in Wilmington, NC from June 21 - 24, 2012.
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