How LRS Works

LRS can help you find a qualified, insured lawyer to help you with your legal needs. Lawyer Referral Service of Santa Cruz County is the only local non-profit service certified by the State Bar of California, and which meets the American Bar Association Standards for a referral service.

Setting Up an Appointment

You can request an appointment by phone or by filling in our online Appointment Request form.

When you call, a trained staff member will discuss your problem with you to determine the type of lawyer you may need. The staff member is not a lawyer, but they will get enough information to refer you to a lawyer who best matches your needs. You will be asked when you are available to meet with a lawyer or have a phone consultation. LRS staff will then call you back with your appointment information.

If you use our online Appointment Request form, we will contact you with any follow-up questions, and then get back to you with your appointment information.

Cost

An administration fee of $50 for your 30-minute consultation supports our non-profit service. The fee is paid by credit or debit card prior to the appointment. If you schedule a phone consultation, you will be asked for your credit card information at the time your appointment is scheduled. There is a $50.00 fee for this service. If the appointment is cancelled or a suitable lawyer is not available you can request a *refund.
*Please note that the refund will be $48.25.There is a $1.75 service fee.

If you are a no-show for your in-person appointment or phone consultation, your administrative fee will not be refunded. Please contact our office 24 hours prior to your appointment if you need to reschedule or cancel.

Once you meet with your attorney and your 30-minute consultation is over, you and your attorney may agree that more time is needed for your case. If so, it is up to you and the attorney to discuss additional fees.

There is no administration fee for Workers’ Compensation appointments.

We have a Fee Waiver Program offering a very limited number of fee waivers for Santa Cruz County residents who meet certain financial qualifications. This covers the initial $50 administration fee, but if additional help is needed, you will need to discuss fees with your LRS lawyer.

If you wish to request a fee waiver, we recommend that you call our office at 8:30 a.m. Monday morning. Fee waivers are granted on a first come, first served basis.

Attorney Qualifications

Every LRS attorney has proven that he or she is qualified in a particular area of law practice and has met multiple qualifications standards. Our attorneys must have legal malpractice insurance, and they must be in good standing with the State Bar of California.

Client Survey

You will be asked for your feedback on how you liked our service and the services of the lawyer we referred you to through an online Evaluation form. We hope you will take the time to fill it out. For mailed Evaluation Forms, we will provide you with a prepaid postage return envelope.