We know that consumers use the Internet
to find goods and services. They buy books, electronics, and clothes
online, secure in the knowledge that the goods can be returned if they
are the wrong color, not quite what they wanted, or are defective.
Services such as legal services,
however, simply can’t be sent back for the cost of shipping. Using an
improperly drafted will or contract or a power of attorney created by an
unlicensed attorney can be life changing. How can a consumer be assured
that the lawyer contacted is licensed and in good standing?
When consumers search for “Michigan
Attorneys” they will be directed to the SBM Member Directory and sites
such as AVVO, FindLaw, Lawyers.com, or LegalMatch.
Generally, the sites follow the same
format. Consumers type in their geographic location and the legal
service they seek. What pops up is a list of lawyers and law firms that
meet the criteria. The seeker can then click on a profile or a website
to learn more. Some sites provide client reviews. The AVVO site
highlights an AVVO rating ranging from 1-10. LegalMatch claims all its
lawyers are pre-screened and in good standing with their state bar
association. Others include links to state bar associations so that the
consumer can go to the site and check the lawyer’s status.
Only the SBM Member Directory
prominently highlights at the top of every active member’s business card
and profile that the lawyer is “Active and in Good Standing.” A
consumer can immediately be assured that the lawyer is a professional,
licensed attorney bound by the Michigan Rules of Professional Conduct
(MRPC). While the consumer may not be familiar with the MRPC, the
90-plus page document setting the standard of legal ethics and
professional responsibility for Michigan Lawyers, lawyers know it well.
Only those who follow the rules are “Active and in Good Standing.”
Should a lawyer be sanctioned or
disbarred, the result of that discipline is posted to the lawyer’s
profile on the State Bar Member Directory. Consumers and lawyers using
the SBM Directory can be assured the information they find is current,
reliable, and authentic.
The Internet is here to stay. Consumers
will use it at some point to find a good or service they desire. The
legal world is not immune. It is vital that the legal services provided
to the consumer be professional, reliable, and competent. A complete
profile created by the member lawyer and including the statement “Active
and in Good Standing” provided by the SBM Member Directory assures the
consumers that they will receive legal service provided by a licensed
attorney.
You can protect prospective clients
from the unscrupulous. Use and recommend the use of the SBM Member
Directory to find competent lawyers licensed and in good standing in
Michigan.
Roberta Gubbins has served as the editor of the Ingham County Legal News.
Since leaving the paper, she provides services as a ghostwriter editing
articles, blogs, and e-blasts for lawyers and law firms. She is the
editor of Briefs, the Ingham County Bar Association e-newsletter, and The Mentor, SBM Master Lawyers Section Newsletter.
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