MCBA's (ROCHESTER, NEW YORK) Lawyer Referral Service
Please read this page carefully before submitting a request.

Important Notice:
The Lawyer Referral Service does not provide emergency or immediate referrals. Requests are reviewed during normal business hours, and it may take three (3) business days to connect you with an attorney for a consultation.

The MCBA’s Lawyer Referral Service can only be accessed online. The referral service is for those who are looking to hire and pay for an attorney. We will refer only those situations with a clear, current legal issue or problem that our participating referral panel attorneys may be able to resolve. We do NOT offer free legal advice, counsel, or guidance.
 

• Please note that our lawyer referral panel is limited, and we do not have an attorney available for every matter.
  In some matters, a lawyer is not necessary, and another resource may be more appropriate. 
   
• We do not have attorneys in our office. The attorneys on our referral service panel are for-hire attorneys who charge retainer fees (in most cases) and require payment.
   
• Please do not call our office for a referral. Referrals cannot be made over the phone or in person. 
   
• We do not make referrals to attorneys who are not on our referral panel. We do not provide lists of our MCBA member attorneys.

What to Expect

If there is an attorney on our referral panel suitable for your matter, you will be charged a $45 referral fee that covers your initial conversation with the attorney of no more than 30 minutes. You will receive an email with the attorney's contact information. You must call or email the attorney to arrange a short consultation - the attorney will not reach out to you first. If the attorney agrees to take your case, and you wish to hire the attorney, they will go over their fees and costs with you.  *Please note that the attorneys on our panel have up to 3 business days to respond to your initial inquiry before we will issue a new referral.

If we do not have the proper attorney to consult with you, you will receive an email letting you know that we are unable to refer you to an attorney. If you receive this email, please be assured that your matter has been reviewed, and this email was generated by our intake employee. Note that you will not be charged if we are unable to refer you to an attorney for a short consultation. You may see a hold on your credit card. The credit card hold is temporary and will automatically be released by your bank, typically within 3-5 business days, depending on their processing policies. You do not need to contact us to request a refund, as you will not be charged.

If you have already used our referral service and would like a new referral, please email LRS@mcba.org with your full name, case ID number, and your request.  Someone will get back to you within 24 business hours. Thank you.

The table below includes the areas of law that our referral panel is currently able to assist with.
If your matter is not listed below, we are unable to refer you to an attorney at this time. 

To submit a request for a referral to an attorney, go to https://usapp.qase.net/referral-request?sourceId=18. Please make sure that you provide your contact information, including your email address and phone number, as well as details of your matter and opposing parties when the system asks for it. This ensures that we are able to send you the appropriate attorney's contact information, and a new referral if necessary.  If we are unable to send you a referral, you will be notified via email, and you WILL NOT be charged a referral fee. The credit hold will fall off of your card at your credit card company's discretion (usually within 3-5 business days).

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Preparing For Your Consultation

Click here to view our informational PDF on preparing for your first meeting with your attorney, including what to bring, what questions to ask, and what to expect.

Statements of Client’s Rights & Responsibilities

Published by the New York State Bar Association

The links below provide a listing of the expectations you should have in dealing with an attorney both at the outset of your relationship and also going forward.  It also provides a listing of the lawyer's expectations of you in moving forward with your legal matter.

Statement of Client's Responsibility