ICBA SBM Lawyer Referral Service

The State Bar of Michigan’s recently revamped Lawyer Referral Service (LRS) has been helping people find the right attorney for more than 40 years. The Ingham County Bar Association has joined with SBM and other local bars in a pilot LRS program to help ICBA members looking to grow their practices. The pilot program is intended to help you connect with new clients, and also provides financial support to the ICBA as incentive for every member who joins SBM LRS.

Apply here if you’re interested in joining. Make sure to check the box indicating you are a member of the Ingham County Bar Association.

Each year, more than 14,000 potential clients call the SBM Lawyer Referral Service looking for an attorney. Callers have a wide variety of legal needs and are screened by trained specialists to ensure the best client-attorney match. Matches are based on a number of factors, including practice area, geography, and language preference. Specialists also screen potential clients for their ability to afford legal services. Through the screening process, SBM will endeavor to never refer to you a potential client who cannot afford market-rate legal fees. Rather, such potential clients will be matched with alternative legal services resources.

Callers can request an attorney referral by phone at (800) 968-0738 or by filling out the online referral request. SBM referral assistants field requests from the public Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m.-4:45 p.m. When you are identified as a good match for a particular caller, the caller will pay SBM a $25 referral fee, which entitles the caller to a consultation with you of up to 25 minutes. During that consultation, you will help the caller decide what to do next.

You are eligible to join the SBM LRS if you are a Michigan-licensed attorney, you maintain active status and good standing with SBM, and you maintain malpractice insurance. Annual registration with SBM LRS costs $150.  Your 12-month term does not track the calendar year or fiscal year; you will be enrolled for 12-months regardless of start date.  You will also need to set up an enhanced lawyer profile in the SBM’s online Member Directory. You can read the full membership rules here. When you’re ready to join, fill out the application here.