Building an Attorney Referral Relationship You Can Trust – Refer a Case to Us Today
Choosing to work with another law firm is not a decision to be made lightly. The Law Office of Dakota Low, understands the concerns; we also want to know that our clients will be in the best possible hands, on occasions when they cannot be in ours. That is why we have created this page of answers to the most frequently asked questions we hear about our attorney referral network.
We invite you to study this page. If you still have questions on beginning a long-term and fruitful referral relationship with our firm.
Discover more about our attorney referral network
The Law Office of Dakota Low invites you to learn more about our firm and about what our attorneys do. Call our office at 405.601.8899 or use our contact form to connect with our team.
Top Questions When Other Attorneys Consider To Refer A Case To Us
Are referral fees ethical?
Yes, but the fee arrangement must meet the requirements of which requires that:
- The division is in proportion to the services performed by each lawyer or each lawyer assumes joint responsibility for the representation;
- The client agrees to the arrangement, and the agreement is confirmed in writing; and
- The total fee is reasonable.
Why should I refer a case to The Law Office of Dakota Low?
Referring a client to another lawyer reflects your reputation — even if you do not enter into a referral agreement. Therefore, when you refer a case, you want to ensure the client has a positive experience and achieves the best possible result.
Thus, we take our relationship with referral attorneys very seriously, and we strive to leave the client completely satisfied.
Our goal is simple: do a better job than any other law firm in every aspect of the case. Our commitment to excellence and client satisfaction reflects you when you refer a case to us. Here is why you should choose The Law Office of Dakota Low as your go-to referral source:
- Fewer Cases – We specifically limit the number of cases we handle so that our attorneys and staff are accessible to each client. Unlike many firms, our lawyers personally know every client.
- Aggressive – We strive to push cases toward resolution as quickly as possible. Many other firms will wait until the last minute to file a case. However, We often file the case quickly and push for a trial date as soon as possible. This effort typically results in better recoveries for our clients.
- Never Settle for Less – We never recommend settling a case without understanding the full extent of the client’s injuries. The last thing we want to happen for clients is that they accept a low-ball settlement offer. Then discover later that their injuries are more serious and perhaps even permanent.
- Resources – We have the resources to succeed even in the most difficult, complex, and high-stakes cases. We have a network of expert witnesses at our disposal, and we even have a full-time registered nurse on staff to assist with medical issues.
- Trial Experience and Success – We take cases to trial regularly, and we have a great track record for obtaining excellent verdicts. Although most cases will settle statistically, it is imperative to have an experienced trial lawyer to achieve a fair settlement.
How much work will I have to do as the referring lawyer?
Referring lawyers can do as little or as much as they prefer. Typically in personal injury cases, the referral attorney does not actually work on the case other than introducing The Law Office of Dakota Low and the new client.
Of course, if you desire to participate in the representation actively, we are always open to such an arrangement. Moreover, even if you do not wish to participate actively, you are welcome to attend hearings, depositions, client meetings, and the trial if you so desire. It’s entirely up to you.
If you choose not to be involved with the litigation, rest assured the client will be well taken care of by our team, and we will keep you informed about the case. Our firm handles every aspect of the case, from the initial client meeting to trial if necessary. Our years of experience mean that we know how to make the client feel respected and appreciated.
I don’t feel comfortable taking part of the attorney fee. Will this make me look bad to the client?
The first thing to remember is that when you refer a case to The Law Office of Dakota Low, the total attorney fee charged to the client will not increase.
In other words, the client will not pay more in attorney fees if you refer a case to us. We make this abundantly transparent to the new client when forming the relationship. We also explain to our referred clients that the best way to find a competent attorney is by relying upon an attorney that you already trust. Therefore, the referral lawyer usually develops a relationship of trust with the client and wants to maintain that level of trust with the client.
For the referral agreement with us, the client can be assured that the referring lawyer has carefully investigated and vetted our firm.
Moreover, the client can see that the referring law firm is putting their reputation on the line when they decide to refer a case to us.
Sharing the attorney fee is simply our way of rewarding the trust that has already been built between the referral lawyer and the client. Most clients are actually pleased to learn that a portion of the attorney fees will go to the referring lawyer. In addition, they find it comforting to know that the referring lawyer has confidence in The Law Office of Dakota Low.
In our experience, no client has ever objected to or viewed the sharing of fees negatively reflecting upon the referral lawyer.
What are the risks to me as the referring lawyer?
The ethical rules require all attorneys to be “jointly responsible,” so technically, there is some risk. Therefore, it is crucial to choose an accomplished and experienced personal injury firm to refer a case to. Furthermore, if by some chance the case is not handled correctly, and the client suffers an injury, we have a substantial liability insurance policy protecting the referring attorney from harm.
How do I attract personal injury cases to refer them to you?
Many law firms receive calls about personal injury and wrongful death cases, but the attorneys do not accept those cases. For instance, in a firm that handles only wills and estates, many receptionists will simply tell a caller asking about an auto accident case that their firm does not handle personal injury matters.
If your firm is doing this, you are throwing money down the drain. However, once you begin to look for cases to refer, you will be surprised by how many calls you receive.
If you choose to work with us, The Law Office of Dakota Low will provide you with simple intake forms and digital marketing materials that your staff members can use to begin the process of accepting personal injury and wrongful death cases. We have referral lawyer who refer a case to us that handle only family law, criminal, or probate matters who send us several cases a year with little or no effort. The income from referral fees can be substantial.
I have worked on a case myself but need help with depositions and trials; can you assist?
We always prefer to be associated at the beginning of a case. However, depending on the facts of the case, we often bring into cases after they have been filed.
The lawyer often believes that a quick settlement can be achieved, but later finds out that a substantial amount of time, money, and effort is required to conclude the case.
Let’s face it; some cases need to go to trial to receive a fair result for the client. The Law Office of Dakota Low has obtained several seven-figure settlements and verdicts.
Moreover, we consistently beat the insurance company’s offer at trial by 5 to 10 times the offer amount. Therefore, although every case is different, the client is usually better off when we decide to take a case to trial.
I don’t know anything about personal injury cases. So how do I know which case to refer to you?
You don’t have to fully understand personal injury or wrongful death cases to work with our firm.
We will work with you to set up a simple referral system that will take almost no time and can be simply handled by your staff.
Please think of The Law Office of Dakota Low as the personal injury division of your firm when you refer a case to us. The only thing you need to do is connecting the potential client to us – and we will do the rest.
How much of the attorney fee will I receive?
The referral fee amount will depend upon:
- The type of case
- The complexity of the case
- Whether the referring attorney wishes to participate actively
For instance, a clear liability rear-ends auto accident case will warrant a higher referral fee than a complex medical malpractice case. The reason is that the risk of not recovering is more significant with the medical malpractice case, and the expenses in a medical malpractice case are also much higher.
Also, the referral fee would be greater if the referring attorney wishes to work on the case or share in the expenses. If you have questions about the amount of the referral fee, we invite you to call and speak with Dakota Low at 405.601.8899 or use our contact form.
