October 2007
BELONGING TO THE LRIS IS A WASTE OF TIME . . . OR IS IT?
BY M. NELSON SEGEL, ESQ.
The State Bar of Nevada Lawyer Referral and Information Service (“LRIS”) exists to provide a service to the residents and non-residents of the State of Nevada. Its purpose is to provide individuals and entities needing legal services in Nevada with the names of attorneys who have experience in an area of need. It also provides Nevada attorneys with a source of new clientele.
Any member of the State Bar of Nevada is eligible to become a member of the LRIS. The cost to join is minimal-- $50 per year and proof of malpractice insurance. The LRIS has created “experienced panels” in the areas of medical malpractice, wrongful death, products liability, bankruptcy and serious felonies. The LRIS is also in the process of creating a family law experienced panel. To be included on an experienced panel, potential LRIS members will have to complete an additional application setting forth their experience and pay an additional $50 fee annually.
The LRIS screens, calls and refers potential clients to attorneys who have expressed a willingness to accept cases in the area of need. The attorney agrees to meet with the potential client for one half hour. The charge for this initial consultation is limited to $45.
If an attorney is retained by an individual who is referred by the LRIS, the fee charged is not controlled. The attorney is entitled to charge fees at his/her normal rate. However, there is an obligation to pay 20 percent of all fees collected to the LRIS.
WHY DO I WANT TO PAY 20 PERCENT OF MY FEES TO THE LRIS? This is a question that members and staff of the LRIS often hear. The response is very simple.
If I were advertising on television, I could expect to spend tens of thousands of dollars to market my services. Telephone book advertising would be substantially less, but would still be in the thousands of dollars per year range. Better idea; newspaper ads are inexpensive. I can get my name out through them. Maybe direct mail is a solution, or billboards.
Television advertising, telephone book advertising, newspaper advertising, billboards and direct mail can work. However, there is no guarantee. You can spend thousands of dollars and never receive one call.
Each of these marketing methods requires payment at the beginning of the program, without regard to whether or not any business is generated.
The “modern” method of marketing a law practice is through the Internet. You can get your name on a web site for a nominal amount of money. However, each “hit” results in an additional charge, without any guarantee of a telephone call or email inquiry.
The LRIS receives a fee when the attorney member is paid. This is a straight contingent fee. No risk. No fee, no cost. For a nominal fee of $50 per year, any member of the State Bar has the ability to utilize the marketing of the State Bar of Nevada.
The LRIS makes over 28,000 referrals per year. Some referrals involve an initial consultation and no more service. Other cases can involve substantial services.
Although this is not typical, I recently paid the LRIS in excess of $30,000 for one case! That is an incredible return on my $50 investment! To me, belonging to the LRIS has been a pleasurable experience that has also brought rewards.
If you are interested in becoming a member of the LRIS, contact Lynn Etkins, Esq., Access to Justice Coordinator at (702) 382-2200 ext. 404 or LynnE@nvbar.org.
Nelson Segel has been an attorney in Nevada since 1981. He focuses primarily on mediation as well as bankruptcy and securities litigation. He is a member of the Lawyer Referral and Information Services Committee, Chair of the Alternative Dispute Resolution Section and an arbitrator/mediator for the Fee Dispute Arbitration Committee of the State Bar of Nevada.