Lawyer Referral Service
Lawyer Referral Service is a solution for people who need legal aid, but afraid of paying too much for certain services. However, the benefits are not just for the clients. Lawyers can also use this service to negotiate better fees and find good terms with prospective clients.
In the US, lawyer referral service refers to a network association that lists lawyers in certain areas. Every state has its own referral service, often provided by the state government or local bar association. However, there are cases where advocacy or nonprofit groups provide lawyer referral service, with specific skills related to the cases they support.
Lawyer referral service started to become staple information after the 1990s, when the internet use was spreading among publics. The service receives recommendation or information about active lawyers in certain areas, and create lists with their contacts. If certain prospective clients need to be matched with specific lawyers, the service can connect the people with the right lawyers.
The cost of referral service depends on its policy. Some do not charge any fee for the service, while others ask for “matching service” fee. However, this fee usually just ranges between USD25 and USD40, so they don’t burden the total attorney budget a client must pay later. The fee is usually nonrefundable.
If a client is really cash-strapped, or in a situation where they need urgent legal aid, the referral service may help to find pro bono lawyers. In addition, prospective clients can also find various information about legal services in the local area, so they can do extensive research before looking for local lawyers.
Every state in the US now has its own referral service website. You can type “lawyer referral website” followed by the name of your state in the search engine. Usually, the website provides boxes to fill with your state/location and lawyer specification. For example, you can look for lawyers that have specifications in family law, asset division, whiplash, business disputes, animal attack, and such.
Once you agree with the lawyer selection and complete the fee payment (if any), the appointed lawyer will contact you. This process is done between 24 and 48 hours. If the lawyer does not respond after exceeding the response period, the service will lead you to other recommendations.
Finding a lawyer may be expensive, but you can make the spending efficient by choosing the right one. Lawyer referral service helps the general public to find the right lawyers and spend their money wisely.