The Purpose of the Lawyer Referral Service
Unsolved legal problems too often lead to expensive litigation in court. Early action to solve the problem can often prevent costly litigation.
The objective of the Missouri Lawyer Referral Service is to help make legal services available to individuals and families in need of a lawyer. Many persons are not acquainted with a lawyer. Others may be hesitant about seeing a lawyer because they have never before contacted one.
The Missouri Lawyer Referral Service is designed to make it easy for a person to contact an attorney.
The Missouri Lawyer Referral Service does not give legal advice.
How Do I Contact the Lawyer Referral Service?
You can call the Missouri Lawyer Referral Service at 573/636-3635 from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Monday through Friday (except holidays).
The Lawyer Referral Service representative will ask your name, address and telephone number and ask you to state your problem briefly. Any information you give will be held in the strictest confidence. The representative will then refer you to an attorney in or near your county with whom you can make an appointment or receive a phone consultation. This attorney will be advised by the Lawyer Referral Service representative that you are being referred.
The Missouri Lawyer Referral Service does not provide lawyer referrals in St. Louis, Kansas City and Springfield.
In St. Louis, call the Bar Association of Metropolitan St. Louis Lawyer Referral Service at 314/621-6681.
In Kansas City, call the Kansas City Metropolitan Bar Association Lawyer Referral Service at 816/221-9472.
In Springfield, call the Springfield Metropolitan Bar Association Lawyer Referral Service at 417/831-2783.
What is the Cost?
The attorney to whom you are referred will grant you an initial consultation of up to 30 minutes with no fee for the attorney. However, there will be a $25 administrative charge which you must pay, whether or not the lawyer accepts the case. This fee will be collected by the attorney and will be sent to the Lawyer Referral Service to help pay the cost of maintaining the service. If you consult with the attorney by telephone rather than by an office visit, you may be billed directly by the Missouri Lawyer Referral Service.
During your initial visit with the attorney, you and the attorney will discuss your problem and decide what further action to take, if any. There is no obligation for you to employ the attorney, nor is there an obligation on the part of the attorney to take the case.
If you and the attorney agree that the attorney will perform future legal work for you, it will be up to you and the attorney to agree on the fee to be charged for any additional appointments or work. However, the initial 30 minute consultation cannot cost you more than the $25 administrative charge.