Small Law Firms

Other Lawyers Can Be Solid Referral Sources For Attorneys

That's why lawyers looking to expand their practices should try to keep in contact with other lawyers as well as business contacts.

By  
on

referral-3272324_640A few months ago, I spoke to a friend who is a small-firm attorney about our practices and how we each develop business. Like many other small-firm lawyers, my buddy and I rely on stable referral sources in order to generate a steady stream of business. My friend claimed in our conversation that lawyers rarely refer him work and that he does not believe that attorneys can make good referral sources for other lawyers. This friend claimed that most lawyers take good work for themselves, and all of the matters referred by other attorneys include bad clients that are not as profitable as other work. However, by cultivating the right network, attorneys can rely on other lawyers for a steady stream of referrals.

Out-Of-State Lawyers

One of the best ways to obtain referrals from other attorneys is to make connections with lawyers from around the country. The practice of law is extremely interjurisdictional, and a lawyer in a different part of the country might have a client who needs counsel in another part of the country to effectively handle a matter. Since lawyers are only typically admitted to practice in one or a few jurisdictions, they might refer such matters to counsel in the locale where the client needs help, or at least engage counsel in that jurisdiction to get advice about a given legal matter.

I am fortunate to practice law in the New York City area, which is a popular jurisdiction for all kinds of litigation and transactional matters. People also often designate New York in forum-selection clauses, so parties from all over the country, and all over the world, might need to litigate in this venue for different kinds of disputes. I have contacts in several different jurisdictions, and when a client of one of these lawyers needs to litigate a matter in New York or needs to understand an issue under New York law, they usually reach out to me to assist. If lawyers keep in touch with law school friends who practice in different jurisdictions, or they cultivate such contacts at conventions, they can set themselves up for referrals if a geographic-specific referral is required.

Retired Lawyers

Eventually, even many of the most prolific lawyers need to wind down their practices and retire. In my career, several of the attorneys who used to employ me have retired upon reaching their late 60s or early 70s, and they needed to figure out what to do with their files and clients so that they can have a seamless transition into retirement. For lawyers who work at larger law firms, it is usually easier for attorneys to hand off files and retire, since other attorneys at the firm can step up and continue working on the retired lawyer’s matters. However, lawyers who retire from solo practice or a small firm might need to refer their clients to other practices since there is no clear succession plan in place.

During my career, I have received a number of great referrals from retired attorneys. Some of these lawyers referred matters to me while they were in the process of retiring, and other attorneys referred clients to me that had approached the retired lawyer. Since people might naturally approach retired lawyers for years after they retire because clients trust these individuals, such retired lawyers can be a solid source of regular referrals for practicing attorneys.

Sponsored

In-House Or Government Lawyers

A variety of lawyers cannot take on work because of the nature of their jobs. For instance, government lawyers might be approached for legal advice, but they are unable to assist prospective clients since they do not have a law practice. In-house counsel might also be approached about assisting prospective clients, but they might not have the knowledge or capacity to assist prospective clients due to their work arrangements. In such instances, it is not uncommon for such lawyers to refer prospective clients to practicing lawyers they know. Since these attorneys are incapable of handling the matter themselves, lawyers do not need to fear that the matter is being referred to them since it is not worth the time of another lawyer. I have handled numerous matters on behalf of lawyers who are not in private practice, and this can be a solid referral source for practicing attorneys.

In sum, certain types of lawyers can be solid sources of substantial and recurring referrals. As a result, lawyers looking to expand their practices should try to keep in contact with other lawyers as well as business contacts in order to best build their referral networks.

Rothman Larger HeadshotJordan Rothman is a partner of The Rothman Law Firm, a full-service New York and New Jersey law firm. He is also the founder of Student Debt Diaries, a website discussing how he paid off his student loans. You can reach Jordan through email at jordan@rothman.law.

Sponsored

Topics

, ,