The Rhode Island Bar Association recently ruled (February 24, 2005) that the LegalMatch model was an acceptable method for attorneys to utilize when finding prospective clients. The RI Bar determined that the annual attorney membership payment to LegalMatch is NOT impermissible fee-sharing and that an attorney’s reply to an interested consumer is NOT a prohibited solicitation. The actual ruling can be found at:
http://www.courts.state.ri.us/supreme/ethics/pdfadvisoryopinions/2005-01.pdf.
Once again, LegalMatch’s client acquisition system has been proven as an ethical, legal, and viable method to match consumers in need of legal representation with qualified, local attorneys. The LegalMatch system continues to grow, with record numbers of monthly consumer cases and attorney membership rising to meet that demand. Thanks to LegalMatch’s patented allocation model software, our system monitors the case load in any given practice area and geographic setting (i.e. a Legalmatch allocation), helping LegalMatch keep a healthy balance of prospective clients and member attorneys. The recent Rhode Island Bar decision affirms LegalMatch’s position as the industry leader in attorney/client services, and suggests that the LegalMatch client acquisition model represents the future in online attorney/client services.
