Join the Lawyer Referral Service

The Lawyer Referral Service (LRS) is a project of the Massachusetts Chapter of the National Lawyers Guild. The LRS was created to help low and moderate income residents receive competent legal services for reasonable rates.

Membership: To join the LRS, an attorney must (1) be a member of the National Lawyers Guild, (2) provide proof of legal malpractice insurance coverage of at least $250,000/$500,000, and (3) submit LRS dues (Guild dues are paid separately).

LRS Membership Dues: New attorneys to the LRS panel pay $75 in dues the first year and $150 for each year the attorney renews their membership. LRS Membership is for a calendar year (Jan 1 – Dec 31). Any new attorney who joins after September 1 will be carried over the following year. (Attorneys who fail to renew their membership by February 1st, will be temporarily suspended).

Rules and Fees: LRS attorneys are required to offer potential clients an initial free phone consultation. The LRS encourages attorneys to offer reduced or sliding scale fees to low income clients. Attorneys must return completed quarterly reports and associated LRS fees within six weeks of the report’s mailing date. Failure to do so results in temporary membership suspension and removal from the referral panel until the report is returned. Two reminders are sent prior to suspension.

Remittance Fee Scale: Attorneys must remit 10% for fees earned from an LRS client between $100 – $3,000; for amounts in excess of $3,000, 15% must be remitted to the LRS. Example: for a fee of $3,200, $330 must be remitted (10% of $3,000 + 15% of 200). If you refer the client to another attorney you must provide the LRS with that attorney’s name and address, and notify the attorney of the LRS guidelines.

LAWYER REFERRAL SERVICE ONLINE APPLICATION

You can also download this form as a PDF file and mail it to us at:
National Lawyers Guild – Lawyer Referral Service
14 Beacon Street, Suite 407 Boston, MA 02108.

Your First Name:

Your Last Name:

Office Address:

City: State: Zip:

Phone: (work) Phone: (home)

Fax:

Your Email:

B.B.O. Number:

Bar Admission:

Place:

Date:

Years of active legal practice:

In what other states can you practice?

What languages other than English do you or your
staff speak?

Has any disciplinary action ever been instituted against you by the Board of Bar Overseers of Massachusetts or any other equivalent body in another jurisdiction?
 Yes No

- If yes, please describe the nature of the outcome of such disciplinary action

MALPRACTICE

The LRS requires each panel member to carry legal malpractice insurance coverage of at least $250,000/$500,000. LRS members must submit proof of insurance every year along with their membership renewal forms.
Have you emailed us a copy of the current declaration page from your legal malpractices insurance policy?  Yes No

AREAS OF LAW

Please indicate all applicable areas of your practice:
Appellate:  State Federal
Criminal:  Misdemeanor Felony Federal Juvenile License Suspension
Discrimination:  Public Accommodation Housing Disability Education Employment
Employment Law:  Wrongful Termination Contracts Labor Law (Unions)
Benefits:  Unemployment Workers’ comp SSI/SSDI Disability
Family Law:  Divorce Custody Guardianship DCF
Malpractice:  Medical Dental Legal
Rights:  Civil Rights People of Color Women Gay/Lesbian Transgender Prisoners’ Rights Patients’ Rights FOIA/Privacy Act Police Misconduct Civil Disobedience
Landlord/Tenant:  Landlord Tenant
Miscellaneous Areas:  Civil Litigation Immigration Elder Law ADR or Mediation Auto Accidents Personal Injury Products Liability Consumer Protection Bankruptcy Debtor or Collections Taxes Contracts Real Estate Estates Wills Patents or Copyrights Business or Commercial Organization Student Issues Environmental Law

Other Areas of Special Interest:

I am seeking the following volume of referrals:  High Moderate Low

ATTORNEY’S FEES

Indicate your average fees for the following:

Consultations:
Uncontested no-fault divorces:
District Court criminal trials:
Hourly:
Other (list type and range):

Do you offer sliding scale or reduced rates for low
or moderate income people? Please describe.

Do you take pro bono cases? What types?

GUILD MEMBERSHIP

Are you a Guild member in good standing? Yes No

When did you join the Guild?

How did you learn about the LRS?

Why would you like to join the LRS?

APPLICANT STATEMENT

By clicking submit on this application form you certify that your responses are complete and true to the best of your knowledge. If accepted as a member of the LRS, you agree to abide by LRS rules as indicated at the top of this online application. You understand the objectives of the LRS, and you agree to work toward providing high quality, low cost services to low income people.

Find it!

National Lawyers Guild - Login
14 Beacon St. Suite 407 - Boston, MA 02108
Phone: 617-227-7008 Fax: 617-227-5495
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