Match. Lawyer
Attorney matching services are a recent phenomenon in the world of finding an attorney online. Legalmatch and Legalfish operate as the two biggest matching service only sites, Findlaw has recently incorporated a service as part of it’s very popular web portal. These services allow a potential client to post their case into the matching service. Depending on your local area, these services will then show your case to several attorneys who may post a response.
One considerable advantage of these services is that they allow participants to state the level of privacy that they desire. A user could choose to show contact information to any responding attorney or to review the responses before revealing their contact information. People who are concerned with their community image should especially appreciate this feature.
An initial check of the attorneys bar status and a minimal level of malpractice insurance will be required before an attorney enrolls in any of these programs. Don’t forget to do your own due diligence because of this, these services do this prescreening mainly as a marketing mechanism. It’s a nice small side benefit, but ultimately you’re going to have to rely on your instincts and good judgment in selecting an attorney. These attorney matching programs try to require that attorneys provide proof of good standing registered with attorney registration entity or bar association. If you are concerned with either of these, then it’s not a bad practice to inquire of any attorney that you are considering, as the services don’t require continuing checks and an attorney might be with a service for several years.
The barristers who respond pay a fee of several to tens of thousands of dollars read your case and tell you their response. One upshot is that since an attorney who responds pays a considerable fee that attorney would likely have a sincere and legitimate interest in your case’s area of practice. It’s a common marketing strategy to claim an expertise in virtually any practice area. However, when an attorney spends a considerable sum on marketing focused on one practice area, then they will naturally develop an actual expertise in that area.
In addition, by responding you can quickly garner information that the attorney needs work and is available for your case. This really is a slow low pressure way to find an attorney. You will also save a lot of money on consultation fees when you have a more complicated case requiring a more detailed analysis of potential representation.
Attorneys can take several days to think up an appropriate response, so these services might not be ideal for those with an urgent need. In addition, the high fees mean there will not be a large number of responding attorneys. It can be helpful to send an attorney a message to call once you’ve read a response. Remember, attorneys have to deal with alot of eccentric individuals who overestimate their cases and can’t pay so by taking the time to register for these services and type out your case you’re letting the attorney know you’re a serious prospect.
Overall, for more complex cases, these can be an excellent service for both attorneys and consumers. Contested family law cases or more intricate personal injuries matters lend themselves to benefiting both the potential client and the intake lawyer with this method. Conversely, more cookie cutter areas like Bankruptcy or real estate closing would not benefit from the use of an attorney matching service.
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