Making a Response

To respond to a case with a description of your services, review a case and choose the form of your engagement: flat-fee, hourly rate, contingency or structured contingency fee, or any other fee arrangement you structure. When responding, you may also write a message directly to the client.

Things to Consider when Responding:

• Relevant case information

  Keep in mind that there may be relevant facts which the client has not disclosed that may affect the case. For example, a client might misinterpret or misunderstand a question on the intake form, or leave out important information when describing the case. Your response should be reasonable in light of the work you will have to perform.

• Other responses

  A client might receive multiple responses to his or her case. Remember that the lowest-priced attorney is not necessarily the most attractive. Price is likely to be just one factor that a client will consider when choosing his or her attorney. The client will also consider an attorney's LegalMatch profile and other clients' ratings of the attorney.

• Attorney advertising rules

  You may include additional information in your response that you want the client to consider about you. When including this information, keep in mind your state's rules on attorney advertising.

To Respond to a Case

• Click on the Make Response button on the Case Details page.
• Provide the terms and amount of your proposed engagement.
• Provide additional information in your response:
  • Further fee information - specify whether your terms are negotiable or subject to change.
  • Expense information - specify whether and which expenses are included in your response.
  • Response acceptance - specify the terms under which the response can be accepted.
  • Full response description - describe the details of your response to the client.
• Click on the Continue button.
• Review your response, and if finished, post your response by clicking on the Submit button.

Receiving Responses from Potential Clients

Once you post a response to a client's case, the client will see it on his or her Home Page, along with other attorneys' responses. The client will also receive email notification of your response.

The client will then review all responses, each attorney's LegalMatch Profile, and other client's ratings of the attorney. Once the client decides which attorney or attorneys to contact, he or she uses the attorney's LegalMatch Contact Information to contact the attorney directly.

Modifying a Response

If the client has not yet accepted your terms, you may change the terms of your response. If a client changes anything about a case on which you responded, LegalMatch will send you an email notification that the facts of the case have changed. If you like, you may change the terms of your response to reflect the new or different facts of the client's case or resubmit your response with its original terms.

Things to Consider when Modifying a Response

The Rules of Professional Responsibility in your state may impact your ability to change a response. If the client viewed your response or you initially told the client that your response would be open for a certain period of time, you may be prohibited from modifying your response before that time expires.

To Modify a Response

From your home page, click on your Response ID. Click on the Modify button at the bottom of the page.

Change any terms of your response, click on Continue until you reach the last page.

Review the terms of your modified response on this last page. If it is correct, click on the Submit button. If it is not correct, click on Modify.

Your modified response replaces your original response on the client's home page.

Withdrawing a Response

You may be able to withdraw a response you have made on a case. The Rules of Professional Responsibility in your state may impact your ability to withdraw a response. If the client already accepted your terms or you initially told the client that your response would be open for a certain period of time, you may be prohibited from withdrawing your response.

How to Withdraw a Response

From your home page, click on your Response ID to view the Response Details. Click on the Cancel button at the bottom of the page. On the next page, click on the Submit button.

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