Attorney Referral

Valuable Advice on Attorney Referrals

What is an Attorney Referral?

There are many different kinds of attorney referrals.  Some require more work from a potential client, and others require more advertising production from prospective lawyers.  Whatever the type, an attorney referral can help a client reach a lawyer whose unique specializations will best match the client’s needs.  

Lawyer Referral Services through State Bar Associations

Every state’s official bar association has a lawyer directory and lawyer referral service for potential clients.  Some states provide these referral services free of charge, but other states charge a fee for the matching services and the initial consultation.  

There are many advantages to using a state referral service.  You will normally have to provide information on your specific case and information about yourself, and this data allows the state to provide the best attorney referrals.  

However, there are many disadvantages to attorney referrals through the state.  For one, a state attorney referral service will usually charges separate filing fees for each consultation you receive from different lawyers.  Additionally, going through attorney referrals under a state bar association can take a long amount of time.  These attorney referral services receive requests from very large amount of people.  

Personal Referrals

A personal referral, or “word-of-mouth” referral, is how many lawyers receive the majority of their clients.  There are aspects a personal attorney referral can provide that a state referral cannot.  If you know someone that has been involved in a similar case as you, you should ask them for an attorney referral as soon as you can.  

The main disadvantage in using a personal referral is that the former client’s attorney cannot promise you the same results.  The lawyer may have won a considerable amount of compensation for the former client, but depending on the specificities of your case, the prospective lawyer may not be able to win any compensation.  

These inconsistencies can have an adverse affect on a potential pool of clients.  For example, if a lawyer failed to obtain the results a former client expected, that client may tell their peers to avoid the services of a particular attorney.  Former clients should be warned that extensive negative announcements of a certified attorney’s service can lead to defamation charges if they’re not careful.  A former client is allowed to make announcements about their dissatisfaction, but they cannot make unreasonable, false claims.  

Fortunately, the lawyers who receive clients through personal attorney referrals are usually highly qualified and successful—often obtaining similar results from case to case.  

Other Advantages to Word of Mouth Attorney Referrals

Lawyers, doctors, and mechanics receive more personal referrals than any other type of professional.  There are many advantages for both the lawyer and client with a personal attorney referral, and some of these advantages are described below:

Memorable Service

Formal attorney referrals, such as those through a state bar association, usually only provide general information about services.  Oppositely, a personal referral can provide information on every little thing a prospective lawyer has done for clients in the past.  If a lawyer has exceeded former clients’ expectations, such as providing small services free of charge, this type of help absolutely carries over from client to client.  

Positive Clients

A personal referral can allow a potential client to arrive an initial consultation with a positive attitude.  If a lawyer has a reputation for wining cases in unlikely circumstances and peers move this information along, clients may keep a positive attitude through the trial.  Positive attitudes can, surprisingly, help the chances of client receive the results they expect.  

Indirect, Constant Consultation

If a lawyer gives specific instructions for a former client to recommend people they know to the legal services, these former clients will provide information no state attorney referral service can.  

Through a personal attorney referral, a potential client may know what information and paperwork they need for an initial consultation, and they come prepared with a list of questions recommended to be asked by the former client.  

An attorney may be able to increase their personal attorney referrals by sending updated newsletters and brochures to former clients as well.  These forms of communication can further the information a former client provide to a prospective client during attorney referrals.  

Networking

With the dramatic increase in social networking over the last five years, personal attorney referrals are more popular than ever.  Not only is the attorney’s information more readably available to the public, former clients are communicating and talking about their services with former attorneys to their peers more than ever.