Philadelphia Bar Association LRIS

The Philadelphia Bar Association's Lawyer Referral and Information Service (LRIS) is one of the oldest legal referral services in the United States. It has provided referrals to more than one million individuals and businesses in the greater Philadelphia area over the past 60 years.

More than 175 attorneys participate in the lawyer referral service in Philadelphia, PA. The attorneys serve on panels based on their experience and willingness to accept referrals from potential clients in certain practice areas of the law. Many of the attorneys serving on the panel are multilingual.

The lawyer referral service of the Philadelphia Bar Association was formally structured as a walk-in service. In the 1980's it was restructured to become a primarily a telephone referral service which allowed the public to call the service for assistance in finding a qualified attorney. The LRIS of the bar associatio in Philadephia, PA, can be contacted by phone Monday through Friday 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Today, the LRIS is primarily an online service.

The Philadelphia Bar Association was founded in 1802 as the oldest chartered metropolitan bar association. Today, the bar association serves more than 12,000 members. The revenue for the bar association comes from the dues paid by members. Members benefit from a range of professional services, continuing legal education (CLE), and networking opportunities. Since 2018, Harvey Hurdle Jr., has served as the executive director of the Philadelphia Bar Association.

Contact Information

How Does the Lawyer Referral Service in Philadelphia Work?

When you contact the service, you will discuss your case with a trained staff member who will help you determine which type of attorney would be most appropriate for your case. If a referral is needed, you will be charged $35 for a one-half hour consultation with the lawyer. You are then free to contact the attorney for the consultation with no additional charge.

During the 30 minute consultation, you can discuss your case and the attorney fees needed for additional services. The Lawyer Referral Service maintained by the Philadelphia Bar Association has been certified by the American Bar Association for meeting its model standards for such services.

The practice areas of the LRIS include:

• BUSINESS
• CONSUMER LAW
• CIVIL RIGHTS LAW
• CRIMINAL DEFENSE
• EMPLOYMENT LAW
• ESTATE PLANNING & PROBATE
• FAMILY
• IMMIGRATION
• INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY
• PERSONAL INJURY
• REAL ESTATE

The LRIS operates a flat fee program for certain types of cases including:

• Incorporation and LLC Business Formation - $975
• Driving Under the Influence (“DUI”) - First Offense - $950
• Driving without a License or with a Suspended License - $500
• Careless or Reckless Driving - $500
• Traffic Violation – Other Moving Violations - $500

FInding an Attorney in Philadelphia, PA

If you need to find an attorney in Philadelphia, PA, then contact the lawyer referral service of the Philadelphia Bar Association. The local county level bar association screens the attorneys in advance for their experience and interest in receive referrals in the needed practice area of the law.

These local community based services provide an alternative to using the internet to find an attorney or an online attorney directory.

This article was last updated on Wednesday, January 22, 2019.