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Legal Matchmaking: The Truth About Lawyer Finder Websites & Online Directories

Using the internet to find a lawyer? Beware of websites that say they will help you locate, evaluate, and choose a lawyer. These sites are not always what they appear to be. They are not a public service. More often than not these sites are simply paid advertising spots, and consumers who are looking for an accident and injury lawyer are a particular target of these paid sites.

There are two basic categories of lawyer finder websites. They are “directory sites” and “referral sites”.

Directory Sites

Directory sites are basically an online version of the yellow pages for lawyers who have paid for a listing in the directory. Typically, the more money that is paid by the lawyer, the bigger the ad. More money also means a higher rank in the directory, the more times the ad will be presented, etc. The directory offers listings and search criteria and you pick the lawyer to contact.

Referral Sites

Referral sites gather your information (name, number, case specifics, etc.) and then send it to a lawyer who will contact you. The lawyer has paid for this service and the case lead. When you fill out the online form, the information is sent to the next lawyer on the list. With referral sites, the lawyer is often paying to get a certain number of leads per month. Rather than being routed to the lawyer that can best meet your needs, you are simply put in touch with the next lawyer in line.

Whether the lawyer is listed in a directory or referral site, in both cases the lawyer is paying for advertising. This is important to understand because the lawyer may not have much, if any, experience in the area of law that pertains to your case. Many times the lawyer who pays for this type of advertising may not have even taken your type of case all the way to trial. Sometimes out-of-province lawyers will use a directory or referral site to gather leads and then refer them to an in-province lawyer in exchange for a referral fee or broker fee.

Also, beware of those websites claiming that the lawyer has been “prescreened” or that the lawyer “belongs in their network”. This just means that the lawyer was able to pay the advertising fee. The term “prescreened lawyer” usually means that the company that operates the website has verified that the lawyer is licensed to practice law, but not necessarily that the lawyer is experienced to handle your type of case.

Referral Firms

There is actually a subcategory of the referral site. I call them “referral firms”. These are sites that appear to promote a lawyer or a law firm. But behind the scenes these sites are just another type of referral site where the lawyer has paid a hefty fee to be promoted. You might have seen some television spots for these lawyers or firms. Again, they take your call or your incoming email and then route it to someone or some firm that is next on the list to get leads. Many times the lawyer is not even licensed to practice law in your province. In some cases, they associate with a local firm – but it still is not the firm that you thought you were contacting or hiring.

Some of the key phrases that indicate that you are looking at a directory or referral site are as follows:

· free lawyer finder services

· helps you easily find a lawyer in your area based on location and specialty

· find a lawyer near you

· law firm directories

· access to information, news, articles and attorney profiles – find, research, screen and contact a lawyer

· review lawyer profiles and information about individual law firms to identify the best lawyer to fit your needs

Some of these sites include: Lawyers.com, Attorneys.com, FindLaw.com, LawInfo.com, LegalMatch.com, AttorneyLocate.com, WhoCanISue.com, InjuryHelplineLawyer.com, and many, many others.

You are the only person who should be choosing a lawyer to represent you. Legal matters, especially personal injury cases, can sometimes (not always) take years to resolve. When you pick a lawyer you are choosing to build a long-term lawyer-client relationship with someone who will speak on your behalf. Do not make a hasty decision while visiting a website late one night.

Do your homework, visit websites, read articles, review resumes, watch videos, talk to friends, talk to other family members and, most importantly, meet with several lawyers in their offices. Ask them questions about their experience, track records, etc. Listen to what they have to say and judge for yourself.

(This article is based on The Smart Consumer’s Guide to Hiring a Great Lawyer by Mischelle Weedman-Davis, publication pending. We will be making this excellent resource available free of charge soon. Mischelle’s husband Chris Davis has a great website: http://www.injurytriallawyer.com/.) We will be making this excellent book available free of charge.