The cost of a LegalMatch subscription is reasonable. Other services tend to be pricier. Also, they don't have the consistent volume of leads that I get from LegalMatch.
LegalMatch gave me an opportunity to reach a group of potential clients that I would not have normally had access to. At this stage of my career, I have tried to be more creative in finding ways to structure fees for low-income clients. The objective is to expand the ability for low-income clients to pursue whatever litigation or legal matters that are of concern in their lives. Being able to market virtually on the internet obviously creates a lot of information exchange prior to face-to-face meetings, which I always want to have with the client. Unless there’s just some specific reason not to.
LegalMatch changes the way that I network and I like the fact that it provides me with a great deal of information before any contact is made with the client. I like the fact that it gives me adequate information in order to evaluate a case. I understand that the summaries come from the clients themselves, but LegalMatch has structured it in such a way that the questions from the clients are reviewed before they meet an attorney. This is important for the attorneys to evaluate the case.
The cost of a LegalMatch subscription is reasonable. Other services tend to be pricier. Also, they don't have the consistent volume of leads that I get from LegalMatch. I've had other legal marketing services that would send me clients from different jurisdictions, even though I had specified that I didn't work in that jurisdiction. Those leads were just not as valuable and productive as what LegalMatch gives me.
I get leads on a weekly basis. The interesting thing about it is that sometimes you get leads that don't look like a big case. Then as you get further into discussing it with the client, you’ll find out that it is a good case. A lot of times the clients themselves don't understand the full nature or the ramifications of the situation they're in. I ended up actually with some much bigger cases than I hadn’t anticipated originally.
I'm finding a way to reach common ground. Most LegalMatch clients are people that are of moderate income. Being creative in finding a way both profitable for the attorney and within the financial means of the client is important. I think that that's how you make the leads and the system itself more effective.
If you look at your overhead and try to understand that if you can keep your overhead low, it gives you more flexibility to meet the client's ability to pay. I would say for attorneys with far less experience, as long as they can keep their overhead low, they're going to find a reasonable profit margin with well-structured contracts.