What does LRIS stand for?
Lawyer Referral and Information Service (LRIS). It’s the official name of our “Find a Lawyer” service.
Do you have a list of pro bono – or free – attorneys?
Our network of lawyers do not work for free and we do not provide a list of pro bono attorneys. We refer you to a qualified private practice attorney in our network based on your legal needs.
Are you an attorney? Can you give me legal advice?
When you call, please note that the LRIS staff members who answer the phone are not attorneys.
We have no LRIS lawyers in our office. Our CCCBA staff members are trained to refer you to an attorney who is qualified to answer your legal questions (or in some cases an appropriate agency). Staff members are not qualified to give you legal advice or answer legal questions.
How do I know your LRIS attorneys are qualified?
All our lawyers are members of the California State Bar and are licensed to practice law in California. They must meet strict LRIS qualifications as required by the Rules of the LRIS, established by the CCCBA LRIS Oversight Committee.
In addition, all LRIS lawyers carry malpractice insurance and must meet our experience requirements.
Will the attorney take my case?
Only a lawyer can determine whether or not you have a case. Our staff will refer you to an attorney or agency that best matches your legal problem. Remember, our staff members who answer the phones are not lawyers.
Is it possible to schedule an appointment today?
Unfortunately, we’re not able to schedule appointments on the same day you call.
We’ll process your request as quickly as possible and refer you to a qualified attorney who meets your legal needs. We try to accommodate both your and the attorney’s schedule and will call you back with the date and time of your consultation.
How much does it cost for me and how do I pay?
We charge you an upfront $45 administrative fee to refer you to one attorney. This fee helps us run our program and makes it possible to offer this valuable service to members of the community like you. The $45 administrative fee is non-refundable once your appointment has been scheduled.
If we determine your case to be a plaintiff’s personal injury, an employee Workers’ Compensation or Social Security Disability issue, you will not be charged the $45 administrative fee.
When you call, we will collect this fee over the phone by VISA, Mastercard, Amex and Discover credit cards. We also take debit cards. “CCCBA” will show up on your credit card statement.
You may also pay by check. Make your $45 check payable to LRIS and mail to:
LRIS
2300 Clayton Road, Suite 520
Concord, CA 94520
You will be given a reference number by the LRIS staff member who assisted you. Please put your reference number (or the name of the staff member who helped you) on the envelope.
Once your credit card payment is verified or your check is received, we’ll call you back with the appointment information.
I need to cancel my appointment. Do I get a refund?
No. Once an appointment has been scheduled, your $45 administrative fee is non-refundable.
If you cancel the appointment by calling the attorney directly, your $45 administrative fee will not be refunded.
If we’re unable to schedule an appointment for you, the $45 we collected over the phone by credit card will be refunded to you. If you paid by check and we’re unable to schedule an appointment, your check will be mailed back to you. If we have already deposited your check, we must wait until the check has been cleared by the bank, and then we will mail you a refund check. Thank you for your patience.
How do I reschedule an appointment?
If you need to reschedule the appointment, please call the attorney’s office directly. Otherwise, the attorney expects you to be at the appointment. On a related note, it’s a good idea to arrive a few minutes early.
I don’t have any money for an attorney. What can I do?
Please visit our Self-Help Resources. There are a variety of legal agencies in the Bay Area that may be able to help you.
Do the attorneys work on nights or weekends?
While they sometimes work on existing cases outside of business hours, attorneys are not available for initial appointments on nights or weekends. Your 30-minute appointment will be scheduled during the business week, Monday through Friday, between 9am and 4:30pm PT. We will call you and notify you of your appointment date and time.
Why do you need my name and mailing address?
In order to receive a referral from our service, we must record your name and mailing address. We’re required to keep records. This information is only shared with the attorney’s office that we refer you to; it is never sold to a third party.
We’ll also mail you a client survey after your appointment so we can get your input about your experience. Your feedback is very valuable to our organization and we encourage you to fill it out and send it back.
Will the lawyer be close to where I live?
If you live in Contra Costa County, we’ll try to arrange for you to see an attorney who’s close to you.
But remember: our first priority is to set you up with an attorney who handles the field of law related to your problem and who has the right experience for your case.
What if I don't like the attorney? Will I be given a second referral?
Unless there is a conflict of interest or it is determined that the attorney we referred you to does not practice the type of law for your matter or we cannot find an attorney who can see you, the $45 referral fee is non-refundable. Our service offers only one referral except in cases like these.
What if I need a lawyer in another county or state? Can you help?
We only refer lawyers who are legally certified to work in the state of California. If you need a lawyer outside of Contra Costa County, these sites may be able to help you: