A. Any attorney licensed in D.C., whose current dues are paid to the Bar Association of the District of Columbia, may sign up by completing the enclosed application. Attorneys who are not yet members of the BADC may submit an application for membership in the BADC along with their LRS application. To receive a BADC membership application, call (202) 223-6600.
Q. Who are the LRS clients?
A. The Lawyer Referral Service advertises throughout the area in telephone directories, libraries, government agencies, courts, and churches. Clients who take advantage of this service come from all walks of life and all economic backgrounds.
Q. Do I have to charge the initial consultation fee? How long is an initial consultation?
A. You will be required to remit $40 for each client who makes and keeps an appointment with you. If you do not charge the client the initial consultation fee, you are still responsible for it unless you accept the client's case pro bono. Clients are informed that an initial consultation is usually one-half hour. Although the actual time is left to your discretion, you may charge only $40 for this appointment.
Q. What fee should I charge the client for legal work after the initial consultation?
A. Beyond the initial consultation, the arrangement for your fee is between you and the client. It should be discussed with, and fully understood by, the client prior to your beginning to work on the case. A WRITTEN FEE AGREEMENT IS REQUIRED (See Rule 1.5 of the Rules of Professional Conduct). Your fee should be reasonable under the situation, based on factors such as the amount of time expected to be involved, and the complexity of the case, as well as the client's ability to pay.
Q. Will I have to pay any additional fees to the LRS other than the $100 panel fee?
A. Attorneys are required to remit 10 - 15 percent of fees received from a referred case back to the LRS, depending on the amount of the attorney fees charged.
Q. How are referrals assigned?
A. LRS panel members become part of our computerized data base designed to provide attorneys' names on a rotating basis according to areas of concentration. Callers are screened by Legal Advice Line to ascertain the nature of their problem, then are referred to an appropriate attorney. After each referral, the attorney's name rotates to the bottom of the list within that field of law, but remains in rotation within any other fields selected.
For More Information, call (202) 223-6600.