In the Community

Members of the Cincinnati Bar Association are committed to serving Greater Cincinnati, not just through their professional role as attorneys, but also through volunteer service in the community. The CBA sponsors a variety of programs that help to serve our community, and the CBA Young Lawyers Section is committed to making a lasting difference in our community through programs such as Mock Trial and the Superhero Run for Kids 5k - benefiting Pro Kids.

Lawyer Referral Service (LRS) 

The CBA has operated its Lawyer Referral Service since 1943. The LRS makes referrals to the public in almost all areas of the law. There is no fee for using the service and the referred attorney will not charge more than $50 for the first half hour of consultation. The LRS number is (513) 381-8359.

LRS Community Programs

• Partners in the Community (PIC) Now You're 18  - This program is geared toward educating high school students, especially seniors, on issues relating to turning 18. Topics addressed include DUI, drug charges, alcohol consumption, date rape, student loan application, credit cards, consumer credit, credit reports, leases and more. 
• You and the Legal System – LRS works in conjunction with the Hamilton County Law Library to offer free one-hour legal seminars in which a qualified attorney will speak on a specific topic and open the floor for questions from attendees. 
• Modest Means Program - This program helps “bridge the gap” for those individuals who do not qualify for indigent legal aid, pro bono programs or any other no/low cost legal services or those who cannot afford to pay current market rate for attorney’s fees. 
• Attorneys for the Marginally Indigent – There are a large number of defendants who are marginally indigent, that is, their income or assets are large enough to prevent their being classed technically as indigents entitled to legal services at public expense through the public defender's office, but for all practical purposes, they do not have sufficient assets to enable them to retain their own attorney.  The AMI program enables such defendants to obtain legal representation for which they are able to pay, while at the same time reducing burdens involved in representation at public expense.

Click here to Learn More about Lawyer Referral Services Programs 

Speakers Bureau

The Speakers Bureau, sponsored by the Professionalism Committee of the Cincinnati Bar Association, offers attorneys who are willing to speak on a variety of topics, including domestic relations, bankruptcy, estate planning, fire and emergency law, consumer sales practices, technology and many others.   Speakers are available for community events and organizations, including schools, nursing homes, social service organizations and rotary clubs.

Summer Work Experience in Law (SWEL)

SWEL is an eight week diversity pipeline program leading to the legal profession. SWEL began in 1986 as a pilot program sponsored by the Black Lawyers Association of Cincinnati-Cincinnati Bar Association Round Table. SWEL works primarily with area African American high school and college students who have a serious interest in law. Applications are accepted from January through March, students interview during Spring Break and the summer program begins in June and continues through mid-August. SWEL offers legal internships and weekly academic classes to support students in their goal to secure admission to law school and gain firsthand experience about career options within the legal profession. For more information about the program visit the SWEL website.