Why CBA Belongs on Your Professional Profile

When attorneys join the Columbus Bar Association, they receive access to resources, continuing education, practice groups, and a vibrant professional network. But the real value of CBA membership goes beyond what attorneys gain — it’s also about what they signal.

CBA membership is a visible marker of professionalism, credibility, and connection. In the same way consumers look for licensed, accredited, or certified professionals in medicine, accounting, or finance, clients seeking legal counsel want reassurance that they’re hiring someone with integrity and accountability. That’s where your CBA membership comes in.

When you display your CBA membership — on your website, LinkedIn profile, or firm bio — you’re communicating something powerful.

That you are actively engaged in the Central Ohio legal community.
That you are committed to ongoing education and ethical practice.
That you are part of a larger professional body working to uphold the standards and reputation of our legal system.

CBA as a Trust-Building Credential

We are repositioning CBA membership as more than a professional resource. It is now a trust-building credential — a badge of accountability that distinguishes you from others in a competitive field. Even if clients can’t always articulate why they trust a CBA member more, the signal is clear: you are aligned with a community of respected legal professionals.

Membership Is a Public Statement of Support

When you are a CBA member, you are making a public statement: I support the work of strengthening Central Ohio’s legal community. You are saying that you believe in higher standards, shared resources, and collective advocacy for the profession.

Choosing not to be a member also sends a message — intentional or not. It suggests you are willing to benefit from the legal community’s structure and reputation without contributing to the organization working every day to protect and elevate it. We encourage every practicing attorney in Central Ohio to ask: What am I signaling to my clients and peers?

Your Membership Supports More Than You Know

Every dollar of your CBA membership is reinvested into the local legal ecosystem:

Supporting judicial screening and ethics reviews.
Funding young lawyer development and minority clerkship programs.
Advocating for the rule of law behind the scenes.
Elevating the professionalism of the legal field in Central Ohio.

CBA is the organization that protects and promotes the legal profession in our region — and it’s your membership that keeps this work possible. By being a member, you don’t just gain — you contribute. You help shape the standards of excellence and accountability that define our field.

In a time when clients are more cautious than ever about who they trust, let your CBA membership speak for you.

Jill Snitcher, Esq.

Columbus Bar Association Executive Director