Membership Tiers

Various levels of membership, each with distinct benefits, are available to Attorneys, Law School Arbitration Clinic Directors, Retired Attorneys, Regulators, Paralegals, and Law Students. Classes include: Regular Members; Young Members, Regulator Members; Retiree Members; Paralegals/Legal Assistants, and Law Student Members. Each class of membership has access to the on-line version of the PIABA Bar Journal. The Journal may be searched by article or members may elect to read (or print) the full editions of individual Journals.

Member Qualifications

To qualify for PIABA membership, an attorney must be in good standing and devote at least 80% of their securities practice, both individually and at the firm level, to representing investor-customers. Eligibility is based on hours worked, not revenue, over the last 12 months. Attorneys who have not yet represented customers in these disputes may still be eligible if neither they nor their firm has worked against customers in the past 12 months.

Regular member applicants must be an attorney-at-law duly admitted to practice before the courts. Upon receipt of a regular member application, it generally takes three to five days to finalize the review and complete the admission process. In general, PIABA Members have access to all services including member list-serves and the member only area of the website. Other benefits of membership include attending the PIABA Annual Business Meeting, eligibility to vote in Director elections, and/or serve on PIABA committees. Regular Members who meet the qualifications, may seek election to the PIABA Board of Directors. The membership fee is $625 per year. Register Now >
An attorney at law who is a member in good standing of the bar of any state or U.S. territory, who is either under the age of 35 and/or has been licensed to practice law for less than five (5) years and who meets the criteria of Eligibility in Article 4, Section 3 of the PIABA Bylaws. Register Now >
Membership is open to any retiring PIABA member who shall be designated “Retiree Member”. Members seeking the designation of "retiree member," are required to execute a certification of the same and/or to otherwise provide documentation which evidences that the individual has retired or that the individual's license to engage in the practice of law is inactive. Although Retiree membership does not include listing in the PIABA referral database or voting privileges, it does include access to the PIABA members area of its website, subscription to the PIABA members list-serve, attendance to closed Meeting sessions, and subscription to the PIABA Bar Journal. By invitation, Retiree Members may serve on PIABA Committees. Retiree Members are not eligible to serve on the Board of Directors or as an officer of the Association. Register Now >
Regulator member applicants must be an attorney-at-law duly admitted to practice before the courts. Upon receipt of a Regulator Member application, it usually takes one week to finalize the review and admission process. In general, Regulator Members have access to the on-line PIABA Bar Journal, Awards Database, Publications, and Member Directory. Regulator Members may attend PIABA Annual Meeting Closed sessions, the PIABA Annual Business Meeting, and serve on PIABA committees (with the approval of the PIABA President). They are not permitted to participate in the Referral service, Member list-serves (excepting committee list-serves), serve as a PIABA Director or vote in Director elections. Register Now >
Student member applicants must be a current law student enrolled in a Securities Arbitration or Law Clinic and/or be employed by a PIABA Member. Upon receipt of a Student Member application, it usually takes three days to finalize the review and complete admission process. In general, Student Members have access to the on-line PIABA Bar Journal, Awards Database, Expert Database and Member Directory. Student Members may attend PIABA Meeting closed sessions, the PIABA Annual Business Meeting, and serve on PIABA committees (with the approval of the PIABA President). They are not permitted to participate in the Referral service, Member list-serves, serve as a PIABA Director or vote in Director elections. Register Now >
Individuals employed by a current PIABA member in good standing as a Paralegal or Legal Assistant who are performing substantive legal work 80% (or more) of the time may apply for Paralegal Membership. In general, Paralegal Members have access to all Member services including access to the PIABA members area of its website, subscription to the PIABA members list-serve, attendance to PIABA Meeting Closed sessions, and subscription to the PIABA Bar Journal. Paralegal members may serve on PIABA Committees. Register Now >

Associate membership shall be open to professionals who are involved in securities industry and/or customer disputes but are not otherwise eligible for PIABA membership under any other PIABA membership category, so long as said professionals are in compliance with Article 4, Section 3, part (A)(2) (the 80/20 rule). For purposes of determining eligibility to join as an Associate Member, a court-appointed Receiver’s work as Receiver, and a bankruptcy Trustee’s work as Trustee, will not be counted in the 80/20 calculation.

Such Members shall be designated “Associate Members.” The Board, in its discretion, may set and adjust Membership and event fees for Associate Members. Associate Membership shall not include list-serve access or voting privileges. Associate Members are not eligible to serve on the Board or as officers of PIABA. Associate Members may attend closed sessions of PIABA meetings and/or participate in PIABA committees only with the Board’s approval, which can be withheld for any reason or no reason.

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Educator member applicants must be an attorney-at-law duly admitted to practice before the courts and a full-time professor at an accredited law school. Upon receipt of a educator member application, it generally takes three to five days to finalize the review and complete the admission process. In general, PIABA Members have access to all services including member list-serves and the member only area of the website. Other benefits of membership include attending the PIABA Annual Business Meeting, eligibility to vote in Director elections, and/or serve on PIABA committees. Educator Members who meet the qualifications, may seek election to the PIABA Board of Directors. The membership fee is $625* per year. Register Now >

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