The first question an individual often has when experiencing legal trouble is how to find the best lawyer to help them with their issue. Unless they get a recommendation from a friend or family member or have a personal connection to a lawyer, many individuals will waste a lot of time flipping aimlessly through a phone book or visiting numerous random links after an online search.
This is why using an attorney referral service may be the best option for many individuals. An attorney referral service is a resource that helps individuals find an attorney who practices in the legal field that their issue involves, has the proper credentials and experience, and is typically located near where the individual resides.
An attorney referral service is usually offered through a state’s bar association. In the alternative, it can also be provided by a private organization.
Some of these attorney referral services are free, while others may require a fee. The type of service an individual selects, and the cost of that service may depend on what is available or permitted in the individual’s state.
It may also depend on the area of legal specialty that the issue requires or the lawyer with whom the individual feels most comfortable working professionally on their case. Additionally, there are some attorney referral services that nonprofit organizations or advocacy groups offer in an individual’s area.
Although the services provided by these types of organizations are usually free or low in cost, an individual may have to meet certain requirements before they can qualify to use them. A representative of the organization may have to determine that the individual seeking a lawyer is, in fact, eligible to use the service.
How Does an Attorney Referral Service Work?
At the basic level, an attorney referral service works when an individual finds the service and then contacts them. Once they have reached the service, they must explain why they are calling or their legal issue to the attorney referral service representative.
Based on the facts that the potential client provides, the representative will search the attorneys in their database and provide the potential client with the name and contact information of one of their member lawyers. With this basic information, it can be difficult to determine whether the lawyer the representative referred is the right one for the individual’s case and not simply the next lawyer on the referral list.
If an individual is seeking to have a number of different lawyers to choose from or if they would like to have background information on the attorney to whom they were referred, for example, the number of cases they have won, an attorney referral service is not likely the best method to use to go about finding the right attorney. Similar issues existed when individuals used the Yellow Pages to find an attorney.
A name and phone number or a small advertisement could not provide an individual with sufficient information to evaluate the services of a certain attorney. Instead, this approach was typically hit-or-miss, similar to attorney referral services, and was often time-consuming.
How Do You Search for a Lawyer in Oklahoma?
As discussed above, the best place for an individual seeking a lawyer to begin is with an attorney referral service offered through their local State Bar Association. In the State of Oklahoma, however, the Oklahoma Bar Association only provides a limited Find A Lawyer service on its website.
A potential client can click on this link on the website, and it will provide a directory of attorneys registered with the Oklahoma State Bar Association and opted to publish their names and contact information. It will also allow the individual to filter for their location and their case’s legal practice area.
It is important to note that this service does not provide lawyers to assist with the individual’s case. It does not provide an exhaustive list of attorneys in Oklahoma state.
This means that, without using other services, an individual may miss out on more opportunities to find the best attorney for the individual and their case. In addition, no other background information is provided for the lawyers listed in the directory.
In addition, while this service is free, no information is provided regarding the cost for the individual’s first visit with the lawyer they select, only general lawyer and legal fee tips. The Tulsa County Bar Association also provides an attorney referral service on its website.
A blue button at the bottom of the page is labeled referral. Once an individual clicks the button, it will prompt them to fill out certain contact information and details regarding their legal issue.
In addition, an individual needs to read the initial ten requirements at the top of the form. There is a $25 referral fee for using the service.
Because the services offered by the Oklahoma State and Tulsa County Bar Associations are so limited, many individuals prefer to use a private attorney referral service. These services can easily be found by conducting an online search.
A private lawyer referral service usually offers multiple lawyer referrals. They can also provide background information regarding their registered attorneys, including their:
- Education;
- Work history; and
- Legal practice areas.
Some of these services will even provide potential clients with a free legal library on their websites. Although a private attorney referral service is usually free, an individual’s initial consultation may cost a certain amount depending on the service or attorney; however, it will likely be capped at a low amount.
How Else Can I Find a Lawyer in Oklahoma?
If you need a lawyer in Oklahoma and do not want to use the Oklahoma State or Tulsa County Bar Association, do not qualify for a legal aid organization, or are not comfortable looking for a private attorney referral service on your own, LegalMatch can help you begin your search for the right Oklahoma lawyer. Although LegalMatch is not an attorney referral service, it does use software that helps potential clients connect with the right lawyer for their legal issues.
In addition, lawyers who are registered on LegalMatch have all been pre-screened, which means that they:
- Have a license from the bar association in their state;
- Have good references; and
- Are in good standing with their state bar association.
To use LegalMatch, you start by signing up for free on the website. Then you can present your case for free online and your contact information.
Once this step is complete, an email will be sent out to lawyers in your area. Those available to take your case can then respond to you directly.
It is important to note that you may receive multiple responses and are not obligated to choose the first lawyer who responds. You can review each response and select who is the best fit for your case and budget.
Each responding lawyer will have a profile that provides their background information, ratings, and fees. LegalMatch does not charge potential clients fees for finding and contacting registered attorneys.
LegalMatch users are not obligated to hire any attorney they do not feel comfortable working with. They will only be directed to lawyers who are available and who are interested in taking their case.
