The Lawyer
Referral & Information Service
About LRIS
What is the Lawyer Referral & Information Service?
The Knoxville Bar Association Lawyer Referral & Information Service (LRIS)
is a non-profit public service. The LRIS refers more than 3,000 callers to
Knoxville attorneys each year. The program is designed to assist persons who
are able to pay normal attorney fees but whose ability to locate legal
representation is frustrated by a lack of experience with the legal system,
a lack of information about the type of services needed, or a fear of the
potential costs of seeing a lawyer.
The Lawyer Referral Service offers two important services to the public:
- it helps the client determine if the problem is truly of a legal
nature by screening inquiries and referring the client to other service
agencies when appropriate;
- and most important, it provides the client with an unbiased referral
to an attorney who has experience in the area of law appropriate to the
client’s needs.
The LRIS is a recipient of the American Bar Association’s Cindy Raisch
Award recognizing superior service of delivery of legal services to the
community.
How does LRIS work?
- Screened the attorneys for experience.
-
Checked to see that they are properly licensed to practice law in
Tennessee
-
Ensured that they have met specific qualifications and criteria.
-
Confirmed that they are in good standing with the Tennessee Supreme
Court.
- The LRIS is not in the practice of law. The LRIS makes referrals to
experienced attorneys who practice in the appropriate area of law.
- The experienced LRIS staff person will assist you to determine the
nature of your problem and find an attorney experienced in that area of
law.
- There is no charge for the referral or the initial consultation with
the attorney (either a phone consultation or 30-minute office
consultation is available).
- The lawyer will advise you on your problem and, if additional help
is needed, will discuss the fees needed to handle your matter further,
which are determined by the nature and extent of the legal matter.
How to Get a Referral
- Telephone Referrals: Please call (865) 522-7501 Monday-Friday
9:00
am – 12 noon and 1:00 pm - 4:00 pm.
- Online Referrals: Use the online referral request form to get the
name and telephone number of an attorney you can contact to see if they
can help you.
Is there a fee for contacting LRIS?
No. The referral is free.
Do I need a lawyer?
If you are confused about whether not you need to consult with or hire an
attorney go to our Frequently Asked Questions page for some guidance.
What if I need legal help after the initial thirty minutes?
If you need further legal services, there will be additional attorney’s fees
that you and your attorney will agree upon before you proceed. Be sure to
ask for a fee agreement in writing if you wish to continue legal services.
Do you provide a list of attorneys?
No. We make one referral at a time. You should make sure you feel
comfortable with that attorney, both personally and financially, before
hiring them. If that attorney does not work out for you, you may contact the
referral service for an additional referral. We cannot make a referrals
based on age, gender, race, or religion.
Can you recommend an attorney?
We cannot indicate our personal preferences. All the attorneys on our panel
go through a yearly screening process and are members in good standing of
the Knoxville Bar Association.
If you are low income
If you cannot afford the initial consultation fee for a private attorney,
contact Legal Aid of East Tennessee at (865) 637-0484. You may also obtain
information on their website at http://www.laet.org.
