Attorney referral services are resources that assist individuals with finding attorneys who practice in the legal field of their issue. The bar associations usually run these services in the state.
Depending on the size of a state, there may be bar association locations in counties and cities. For example, in states such as New York, bar associations in many counties and larger cities like New York City.
Many individuals find difficulty in both locating and hiring experienced lawyers who specialize in the area of law they need for their particular legal issue. Because of this, many individuals turn to attorney referral services when they are starting their search for legal representation.
Lawyer referral services are service providers that maintain a network of lawyers that the services provider uses to connect individuals searching for legal assistance with a lawyer in their network. Usually, when an individual uses an attorney referral service, the potential client will contact the service provider.
That service will then direct them to an in-network attorney who practices in the area of law they need for their issue. For example, in Georgia, many individuals use the Georgia State Bar of Attorney referral service when they search for legal assistance.
In many cases, an attorney referral service is an automated system. Once the individual who is seeking legal assistance completes a form, the automated system will then direct them to a lawyer in the network.
In general, automated systems will only provide the contact information of an attorney who works in the area of the individual who is searching for assistance. This means that it is possible that the lawyer to whom they are referred will not be able to meet their specific legal needs or will not be within their financial means.
Because of this, when searching for an attorney in Georgia, an individual must have a basic understanding of how attorney referral services operate. Once this is understood, individuals can better choose the best attorney for their legal issues and budget.
It is important to note that many attorney referral services charge a fee for each referral. This means that if the individual’s first attempt and finding a lawyer was not successful, they may have to pay another fee each time they request the contact information of an additional lawyer from the service.
One of the benefits of using an automated attorney referral service is that the automated system provides contact information instantly for attorneys who meet the criteria the individual selects. One of the biggest flaws with automated systems, as opposed to non-automated systems, is that the automated system may not fully understand the individual’s legal issues or take their financial means into account.
Because of these issues, many individuals seeking attorneys in Georgia prefer using a non-automated system, such as attorney referral phone numbers in which humans operate. When a potential client uses a non-automated system, the human operator working for the service can comprehend the individual’s legal and financial needs.
As noted above, an individual operator will also be able to consider the potential client’s financial means. For example, if an individual qualifies for low cost or free legal services, the operator can refer them to pro bono, or no charge, legal services.
The State Bar of Georgia also provides a list of local and voluntary bar associations on its website. It is important to note that the State Bar of Georgia is not authorized to refer potential clients to lawyers.
However, there are local and voluntary bar associations that do offer referrals. In addition to local and voluntary bar associations, many for-profit organizations offer attorney referral services in Georgia.
Lawyers who are listed in attorney referral service databases pay a fee to be in their database. Whether or not the referral services charge a fee to provide their information will vary.
An individual can always try and use an attorney referral service to avoid the confusion of tracking down a lawyer who is qualified to handle their particular legal issue. A potential client can also call the referral service and ask if there are any fees for providing information before they request a referral.
In many cases, there are no fees for the potential client who is seeking an attorney because the attorney pays a fee to be in the database and have the opportunity to be connected to more clients. For example, the Atlanta Bar Association provides a referral service that potential clients can use by calling or submitting an online form.
The referral is free, and the lawyers in the database have agreed to charge only $45 for certain consultations. There may be cases where the initial consultation is also free.
Before using an attorney referral service in the State of Georgia, it is important for an individual to properly prepare for the questions the service provider will likely ask them. The more prepared an individual is before contacting the service, the less time they will spend explaining their legal issue.
Before contacting a service, an individual should prepare an honest written statement outlining their legal issue or issues and gather and organize any related evidence or legal documents. Once an individual finds a lawyer they believe is suited to handle their issue, they must provide the lawyer with any legal documents they may have already received from another party, especially if a lawsuit has already been filed.
There are many advantages to using LegalMatch over traditional attorney referral services to find a well-qualified and knowledgeable Georgia attorney in your area. LegalMatch can connect you with an experienced attorney who can ensure that your legal issue is properly addressed.
Examples of the benefits that LegalMatch offers include, but are not limited to:
Over 98% of users say they would use LegalMatch services again and recommend it to friends. LegalMatch offers a free way to find the lawyer who best suits your needs and budget.
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