If you need to find a lawyer it can be difficult to know where to look to find the best one to suit your needs.
A lawyer referral service provides a means of connecting potential clients to lawyers who meet their requirements.
This is a good option if you do not have a lawyer already or are struggling to find one by any other means.
Essentially when you approach the lawyer referral service you will be asked a series of questions by the staff to ascertain your legal problem and needs.
They will then match you with a lawyer or lawyers who can help you.
From there you can arrange an initial consultation with them and find out more about them and how they can help you.
You need to find a certified lawyer referral service to be sure of receiving the best help and advice.
The service can also advise you on solving your legal problem without the aid of a lawyer if appropriate by giving out information and advice on other organizations and agencies who could assist you.
During your initial contact with a referral service you will asked about your legal problem and needs. They can then either arrange an initial consultation for you or give you the contact details of lawyers who could help you so you can contact them directly yourself.
Some services will charge for this referral whilst others will offer it for free. You are under no obligation to hire any of the lawyers they put you in touch with, but some referral services may charge a fee if you do for the initial referral.
Most lawyer referral services will operate through the local bar association which you can look up on the internet or in the yellow pages under attorney referral service.
State bar associations will be certified so look for the certification number which will accompany any advertising.
If you are not sure whether a service is certified or not, call them directly and ask for their certification number.
Whilst there are other ways of finding a lawyer to meet your needs, using the state bar referral service is probably the best way of ensuring you are put in touch with a qualified lawyer who is experienced in the area of law in which your needs lie.
Fees for using the service can vary so if they do charge make sure you know how much this will be before you decide to proceed further.