Referral Procedure
CANHR’s Lawyer Referral Service (LRS) staff is available to speak with callers to determine the nature of the legal problem and, when appropriate, to refer the caller to an attorney.
The confidential interview takes 10-15 minutes and includes questions to determine the nature of the problem. All referrals are made on a rotating basis according to subject area and location. Special needs, such as language barriers, are taken into consideration. The client will be provided with the attorney’s name and telephone number and be advised to set up an appointment as soon as possible. Additionally, information given to CANHR will be forwarded to the attorney.
Fee Information
- Elder abuse, neglect and financial abuse cases are on a contingency fee basis, which means that you will pay fees if the case has a successful outcome.
- Estate planning services are available on a regular fee, reduced fee, or pro bono (free) basis, depending on the client’s income, resources and legal need.
- The LRS does not charge fees to the client. All fees received for the services are from the attorney. CANHR receives 15% of any fees retained by the attorney for any regular fee or contingency fee case. CANHR receives no fees for pro bono or reduced fee cases. The attorney is prohibited from taking CANHR’s 15% referral fee from the client, and is barred from charging the client more than what would have been charged if a referral had not been involved.
What to Bring to the Attorney
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Remember - The most important thing is to talk directly to the attorney |
Each attorney will require different documents based on the type of service provided. You should always ask the attorney what documents you should bring prior to your initial consultation. Being well prepared for your visit may save you time, money, and copying costs.
A general idea of what you might need includes:
- Conservatorship: Any existing letters of incapacity
- Elder Abuse: Complaint to DHS, medical records, notes of observations
- Financial Abuse: Copies of financial documents and records of transactions
- Medi-Cal/Estate planning: Any existing living trusts or wills
- Patients’ Rights Violations: Complaints to DHS and notes of observations
- Special Needs Trust: Documentation of disability
Client Satisfaction
- CANHR is committed to ensuring that clients are only referred to highly competent and caring attorneys. The client can ask for a second referral if the first referral is not satisfactory. However, clients are encouraged to call the Lawyer Referral Service (LRS) immediately if there are any problems with a referral. Follow-up information, including a client satisfaction form, is sent to the client and to the attorney to confirm the referral.
Filing a complaint with the California State Bar
