LRIS is “well worth exploring” for any lawyer to bring clients to his or her door, says Steven Jesser, a Wisconsin lawyer headquartered in northern Illinois with 47 years of practice under his belt.

Jan. 20, 2021 – As an experienced lawyer seeking to expand his practice into Wisconsin in 2005, one of the first moves Steven Jesser made was to join the State Bar of Wisconsin Lawyer Referral and Information Service (LRIS).

The program, he said, helped him “very comprehensively” to expand his practice into Wisconsin – and he has been a member ever since.

Jesser calls himself an “active, sole, energetic” lawyer with 47 years of practice under his belt. His practice includes health law, litigation, municipal and education law, and business law. Headquartered in northern Illinois, Jesser is now licensed in seven states, various federal district courts, and all federal circuit courts.

LRIS is “well worth exploring” for any lawyer – new or experienced – to bring clients to his or her door. LRIS “brings me very interesting and diverse business, statewide,” Jesser said.

Whether you need to grow your practice with new clients, add a new area of practice, or expand into another market, the State Bar’s Lawyer Referral and Information Service (LRIS) connects lawyers with prescreened clients who have indicated a willingness and ability to pay.

LRIS is looking for lawyers of all levels of experience for its reference service. Memberships run annually from July 1 to June 30.

How LRIS Works

Every year, LRIS legal assistants field more than 20,000 contacts from members of the public who are seeking legal information and referrals to attorneys.

When members of the public contact LRIS, experienced legal assistants conduct a careful screening before referring matters to member attorneys. In 2020, assistants received 20,391 contacts that resulted in 12,471 referrals.

When you become an LRIS panel member, you choose the areas of practice – up to 60 specific areas – and the geographic locations for client referrals, and choose whether to receive referrals only by phone, or by phone and online.

LRIS Online Portal

Potential clients have access to LRIS Online 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and there is no additional charge for participation. The portal allows panel members to more efficiently track LRIS referrals and manage their memberships.

Accessible from anywhere via an internet connection, the portal allows you to:

• get referrals via email;

• receive automatic case tracking and status reporting;

• keep track of settlement fees and payments;

• submit quarterly reports digitally;

• edit your demographic profile and update your availability to take referrals; and

• renew your LRIS membership and pay online.

How to Join

For more information and to join, visit the Lawyer Referral and Information Service webpage on WisBar.org. There you’ll find membership rates and learn the rules of panel membership.

Registrations renew on July 1, and those who register through June 2021 receive 50 percent off the cost of registration. Register through June 2022 to receive an additional 10 percent savings. New lawyers receive a further discount off the registration price.