Lawyer referral services often act as local portals to access to justice for those of middle incomes. For more than 80 years, lawyer referral services have referred people to lawyers and/or public service or governmental agencies to help them obtain the assistance that they need. They are often the first outreach for identifying problems and the first step in reaching a solution.
Since 2017, the Standing Committee on Lawyer Referral and Information Service has conducted a biennial census of lawyer referral programs to establish trends in lawyer referral as well as in access to justice. The census seeks information on legal needs, the volume of contacts nationwide, operational information, and resulting outcomes. It is a vital study presenting real indicators of where need exists and whether it is being met. The results of the census are presented at the National Lawyer Referral Workshop.
We are currently conducting the 2025 Census, which covers information from 2024. If your program would like to participate, please do so by clicking here. All information provided is held confidentially; however, the results of the Census will be presented at the 2025 National Lawyer Referral Workshop, which will be held in conjunction with the 2025 ABA Forum on Building Access to Justice for All on October 15–17, 2025 in Atlanta, GA. If you would like further information about the 2025 Census or the 2025 ABA Forum on Building Access to Justice for All, please contact Brett Dorn. Please submit your responses by June 2, 2025.