The IllinoisLawyerFinder Phone Service

FAQ
How does your phone service work?
• Call 217/525-5297 or (toll free) 800/922-8757: the referral clerk will need only basic information (your name, address, brief description of legal need) and will then refer you to a lawyer in the geographic area requested. (All information provided will be treated as strictly confidential.)

• You will contact the referred lawyer’s office to make an appointment at a time that is convenient for you. The lawyer will not contact you. Be sure you tell the lawyer you were referred by the IllinoisLawyerFinder phone service so you will receive the special rate for the first half-hour.

• After the initial consultation, you are under no obligation to proceed with the referred lawyer if additional service is needed. It is up to you to authorize the lawyer to proceed on your behalf.

How much does the lawyer charge?
Again, the lawyer has agreed to provide a half-hour consultation for a fee not to exceed $15. It is up to you to contact the lawyer for an appointment. Be sure you tell the lawyer that you were referred by the IllinoisLawyerFinder phone service so you will receive the half-hour consultation as described above. You are not obligated to hire the lawyer, and the lawyer is not obligated to represent you. If you decide to make another appointment with the lawyer or authorize the lawyer to take action to assist you with your legal problem, be sure to discuss the fee for further services.

How do you select participating lawyers?
The lawyers who volunteer to participate in the IllinoisLawyerFinder phone service must be licensed and registered with the Attorney Registration and Disciplinary Commission of the Illinois Supreme Court and must carry professional liability insurance. We ask participating lawyers to indicate the legal areas in which they practice. Thus, you will be referred to a lawyer according to geographic location and the type of legal problem.

Can I get a specialist?
The Illinois Supreme Court does not have a program for certifying lawyers as "specialists’’ in a particular legal area. Therefore, we cannot represent to you that a lawyer participating in the program has any special abilities or expertise in any specific legal area.

Do you have any Spanish-speaking lawyers?
Yes, some of our lawyers speak Spanish or other languages, though we may not be able to find one in your geographic area who handles your kind of legal problem.

Other Illinois bar associations also sponsor lawyer referral services.