Cincinnati Bar Association
Public records raise at least one point you should look into before giving.
What it says it does
To promote professional excellence, foster justice, serve our members and educate the public.
- Income
- $2.3 million
- Spending
- $1.9 million
- Employees
- 22
- Volunteers
- 1,031
- Highest pay
- $183,817, executive director
Source: Form 990 for the year ending April 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. How we rate
Financial health
We do not score finances when yearly spending is very small or the return has too little detail. The ratios stop meaning much at that size.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending April 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. How we rate
Governance
This return does not answer enough of the governance questions to score.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending April 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. How we rate
Impact evidence
Describes programs. Its tax return describes what it does but we have found no measurable results in it.
Programs described in its return (3)
- Continuing Legal Education (CLE) programs, meetings and committees - Rule X of the Supreme Court of Ohio mandates that attorneys admitted in Ohio attend 24 hours of approved CLE courses on a biennial basis. To enable attorneys to meet this requirement the Cincinnati Bar Association offers seminars throughout the year on substantive law as well as on other aspects of legal practice. 79 live CLE Seminars were presented, with 2448 registrants. 21 of these seminars were offered in partnership with the Ohio Metropolitan Bar Association Consortium. 617 on-demand CLEs were also completed during the fiscal year. In addition, the CBA hosts over 100 Committee meetings annually, including virtual meetings. These meetings enable members to further their professional development, connect within specialization groups and advise the CBA on needs of the profession. There are more than 3,000 participants in the committees (many members participate in more than one committee).
- Membership - The CBA offers Greater Cincinnati attorneys many opportunities to network with their colleagues including 45 practice area or professional committees, leadership and community service programs and special events. The CBA offers a host of legal resources and membership includes two publications, the Legal Directory and CBA Report. Providing essential tools in facilitating communications among CBA members, users rely heavily on the Annual Legal Directory as a central source of contact information for local CBA members and non-member attorneys. The directory also provides comprehensive listings of law-related organizations, courts and governments, corporate legal departments, local real estate and financial institutions. The CBA Report, published six times a year, keeps the CBA members appraised of both key legal issues affecting the Greater Cincinnati area and areas of national interest that affect Cincinnati lawyers' professionalism. The magazine also provides a synopsis of the CBA's many activities including seminars as well as those statewide and national activities relevant to members' professional interests.
- Lawyers Referral Service LRS - The LRS provides the public with referrals to lawyers based upon their legal need and geographic location. The LRS provides education to the public by providing programs with community partners. The LRS handles about 12,000 referrals on an annual basis.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending April 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. How we rate
Legitimacy checks
Is it registered with the IRS? Passed.
Listed in the IRS master file of tax-exempt organizations as a 501(c)(6) business league.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Has the IRS revoked its tax-exempt status? Passed.
Not on the IRS automatic revocation list.
Source: Automatic revocation of exemption list, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Are donations tax-deductible? Caution.
Not on the IRS list of organizations eligible to receive tax-deductible contributions.
Source: Publication 78 data: organizations eligible for tax-deductible contributions, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.
Most recent return on file covers the year ending April 2025.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.
Recognized by the IRS since June 1981.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Is it in good standing with state regulators? Passed.
Not on California's list of charities barred from soliciting. Other states are not yet checked.
Source: May Not Operate or Solicit for Charitable Purposes list, California Attorney General, Registry of Charities and Fundraisers, file dated October 21, 2026.
Ratings and checks are our reading of public records, using the published method. They are not a statement about anyone's honesty. If you work for this organization, you can send corrections or results, confirm you want gifts through Veridonate, or ask to be removed from giving.