Frequently Asked Questions

The Boston Bar Association Lawyer Referral Service is a public service provided by the Boston Bar Association. We make referrals to private lawyers or other community resources specializing in the area(s) of law related to your specific situation. If you have a legal problem, or think you might need a lawyer, please contact us, and we will put you in touch with the appropriate resource. You can connect with us in 1 of 3 ways.

  • Phone: Call us today at 617-742-0625 to speak to an intake specialist.
  • Online: If you know what type of lawyer you need, and would like to search for your own attorney, you can do so through our online intake.
  • Email: If you do not know what type of lawyer you need, think you might be eligible for free legal assistance, or just prefer to communicate via email, you can submit an email request to us here. We will respond within 1 business day

The Boston Bar Lawyer Referral Service is a public service provided by the Boston Bar Association. We make referrals to lawyers or other resources specializing in the area of law related to your specific situation. If you have a legal problem, or think you might need a lawyer, contact the BBA LRS, and an intake worker will put in you in touch with the appropriate resource. If you would like to submit a request for an attorney online, you may do so

Our normal business hours are from 9 am – 5pm, Monday through Friday. We are closed on all major holidays. You can leave us a voicemail or email outside of normal business hours, and we will respond within 1 business day.

You can also use our online intake to self-refer to an attorney instantly 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year.

You should be prepared to briefly explain your legal problem either over the phone or online so that intake staff can best assist you. If you plan to call, have a pen and paper handy, and if possible, please try to find a quiet location free of interruptions.

All of the attorneys on our service have been screened before becoming a member of the service, and meet experience requirements in order receive referrals in each area of law. In addition, all of our attorneys have certified that they carry malpractice insurance and we check to make sure all of the attorneys are in good standing with the Board of Bar Overseers the state agency that licenses attorneys to practice law in Massachusetts. In addition, staff continuously monitors attorney professionalism through client feedback. Unlike many attorneys you would find elsewhere, if you are referred to an attorney through LRS, the first half-hour consultation will never me more than $25 – a special discount rate through the BBA. Furthermore, trained intake staff listens to your legal problem and can make a referral to an experienced attorney based on your specific legal needs, taking the guesswork out of the process for you.

The Boston Bar Association Lawyer Referral Service has attorneys who practice in almost 350+ areas of law. If you don’t know what type of law your situation falls under, call us and explain your situation and we can try to point you in the right direction. If we are not able to match you with an attorney, we may be able provide you with referrals to other services that might be able to assist you.

If you don’t see your legal issue featured on our online portal, or you’re unsure what it might be described as, call us at (617) 742-0625, or request an attorney here, and a trained intake specialist will help determine what kind of lawyer might be best for you, taking into consideration your unique case, geographic location, and financial situation.

Boston Bar Association Lawyer Referral Service intake specialists are not attorneys, and therefore not able to answer any legal questions or provide legal advice. However, we still will try to assist you in any other way possible by either referring you to an attorney or providing you with additional resources. Although we can’t directly answer your legal question we receive training to allow us to make appropriate referrals.

There is no charge to use our service and get referrals. An initial half-hour consultation with the attorney will never cost more than $25. We have many attorneys who offer flexible fee structures, payment plans, and other options to accommodate your financial needs, however you must discuss the fees and billing directly with the attorney at the time of your call or consultation. It is a good idea to get a written fee agreement with an attorney if you decide to hire them.

No, unfortunately none of our attorneys provide free legal services. Depending on your income, and situation, you might qualify for a reduced rate attorney. Please contact us to see if you qualify.

Yes, we have attorneys who cover almost the entire state of Massachusetts. However, the vast majority of our attorneys are located in the Greater Boston Area. If you need a lawyer in Western Massachusetts, you can also contact the Hampden County Bar Association Lawyer Referral Service.

If you have talked to the attorney we referred you to, and are interested in speaking with another attorney please call us back at (617) 742-0625, fill out the online request form here, or do another personal search here and we might be able to provide you with another referral.

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