Who are the attorneys with Lawyer Referral Service?
About 350 local attorneys register with the service each year. Membership is voluntary, and members must meet certain specific experience standards. All attorneys are in good standing with the Washington State Bar Association and are required to carry professional errors and omissions insurance.
How do you choose the attorney?
After an attorney has been accepted on the Lawyer Referral, the lawyer’s name appears on the list of each area of law for which he or she has been approved. We have a basic underlying rotation, but consider the geographic area of the client and any special needs or requests that we are able to meet. We do not refer on the basis of gender, race, nationality, religion or disability, but will refer for a particular language if we are able to do so.
What areas of law are covered?
We refer callers in almost any area of law. We can make referrals in:
- Personal Injury, such as auto accidents, medical malpractice, products liability (injuries from a defective product), brain injuries, wrongful death, dog bites, etc.
- Family Law, including divorce, custody, and child support and parenting plans
- Criminal Defense for all types of charges
- Business Law, both transactions and litigation
- Estate Planning, from simple wills to complex trusts and probate
- Land Lord Tenant Issues
- Real Estate, both commercial and residential
- Bankruptcy
- Creditor cases
- L & I ( labor and industry)
- Wrongful Termination
- Workers Compensation
- SSDI
What if I can’t afford an attorney?
Lawyer Referral Service is not a low income service. All attorneys on the service charge regular rates. If you have a substantial personal injury case, a referral can be made and you can discuss possible contingency fee arrangements with the attorney. You may be required to make a deposit for costs and filing fees. For other cases, the intake specialist can determine if you may be eligible for different programs and either transfer you to the legal clinics' appointment line or suggest additional community resources.
What if my case is not in King County?
Many of our attorneys accept matters in other counties, especially Pierce and Snohomish Counties. Large personal injury or workers compensation may be taken in other Washington Counties. Maritime injuries in Alaska are often referred to attorneys on our Admiralty Law panel. If we cannot refer you, the intake specialist can give you the number of the nearest referral agency. If you need a lawyer in another state, please click here to reach the American Bar Association’s national directory of referral services.
What if I can’t reach the attorney you have referred me to?
We do not have access to any of attorneys' schedules - the attorney may be in court or fully scheduled for the day. We ask that you wait at least a full business day for the attorney to return your call. If the attorney does not return your call or is unavailable for a consultation, we will provide another referral at no additional charge.
What if the attorney won’t take my case?
Whether or not an attorney feels that you have a meritorious case cannot be determined until you have a consultation. This is also an opportunity for you to determine if you feel the attorney is a good fit. If you do not have a case that can benefit by legal action, often an attorney can point you in a direction that can help without the need for legal services. The LRS staff can neither guarantee that an attorney will take your case, nor judge merit of your case. If an attorney cannot take your case, we may be able to refer you to another attorney.
For more information please contact us during normal business hours, Monday - Friday, 9 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. at (206) 267-7010 or by email at LRS@KCBA.org