Qualifying providers include lawyer referral services, matching services, group or pooled advertising programs, directories, or tips or leads generators. Lawyers may participate only when a qualifying provider complies with Rule 4-7.22, Rules Regulating The Florida Bar (click on Chapter 4 Rules of Professional Conduct, then click on Rule 4-7.22 in the bookmarks).

Information for Qualifying Providers

Requirements

Qualifying providers/lawyer referral services:

• must comply with lawyer advertising rules (see Advertising FAQs for more information);
• may not charge a fee that constitutes a division of fees (except nonprofit Florida Bar and voluntary bar lawyer referral services);
• must match consumers only to those authorized to provide the services in Florida;
• must respond to official bar inquiries within 15 days;
• may not state or imply bar endorsement (except nonprofit Florida Bar and voluntary bar lawyer referral services);
• must use their actual names or a registered fictitious name;
• must report to the bar the names of all participating lawyers annually;
• may not require or pressure the lawyer to provide cross referrals;
• must give participating lawyers documentation of compliance with bar rules;
• must disclose participating lawyers’ location by city, town or county when the referral is made; and
• may not use a name or otherwise imply to the public that the qualifying provider is a law firm, can practice law or directly provide legal services.

Annual Reporting

Qualifying providers that are for-profit must file annual reports under Rule Regulating The Florida Bar 4-7.22(d)(5). A qualifying provider’s annual report will only appear in the roster of “Current Reports”  if the report includes a list of at least four participating lawyers from four different law firms in the panel or group of lawyers to whom prospective clients are referred. All participating attorneys must be members in good standing with The Florida Bar and eligible to practice law in the state of Florida. Please confirm their status prior to submission using the Find A Lawyer tool.

Qualifying Providers Registration/Annual Reporting

Qualifying Providers with Current Reports

Information for Participating Lawyers

Requirements

A lawyer can only accept referrals from a qualifying provider that complies with Rule 4-7.22, Rules Regulating The Florida Bar, including the following requirements:

• the qualifying provider’s advertisements comply with lawyer advertising rules
• the qualifying provider does not engage in any in-person solicitation
• the qualifying provider does not receive any fee or charge that is a division or sharing of fees, unless the qualifying provider is The Florida Bar Lawyer Referral Service or a lawyer referral service approved by The Florida Bar pursuant to Chapter 8 of these rules (see Florida Bar Ethics Opinion 18-1 for more information);
• the qualifying provider refers, matches or otherwise connects prospective clients only to persons lawfully permitted to practice law in Florida when the services to be rendered constitute the practice of law in Florida;
• the qualifying provider does not directly or indirectly require the lawyer to refer, match or otherwise connect prospective clients to any other person or entity for other services or does not place any economic pressure or incentive on the lawyer to make such referrals, matches or other connections;
• the qualifying provider annually reports to The Florida Bar on July 1 of each year the names and Florida bar membership numbers of all lawyers participating in the service unless the qualifying provider is The Florida Bar Lawyer Referral Service or a lawyer referral service approved by The Florida Bar pursuant to Chapter 8 of these rules;
• the qualifying provider provides the participating lawyer with documentation that the qualifying provider is in compliance with this rule unless the qualifying provider is The Florida Bar Lawyer Referral Service or a lawyer referral service approved by The Florida Bar pursuant to Chapter 8 of these rules;
• the qualifying provider responds in writing within 15 days to any official inquiry by bar counsel;
• the qualifying provider does not represent or nor imply to the public that the qualifying provider is endorsed or approved by The Florida Bar, unless the qualifying provider is The Florida Bar Lawyer Referral Service or a lawyer referral service approved by The Florida Bar pursuant to Chapter 8 of these rules;
• the qualifying provider uses its actual legal name or a registered fictitious name in all communications with the public;
• the qualifying provider affirmatively discloses to the prospective client at the time a referral, match or other connection is made of the location of a bona fide office by city, town or county of the lawyer to whom the referral, match or other connection is being made;
• the qualifying provider does not use a name or engage in any communication with the public that could lead prospective clients to reasonably conclude that the qualifying provider is a law firm or directly provides legal services to the public; and
• has lawyers from at least four different law firms participating in the panel or group of lawyers to whom clients are referred.

Reporting

Lawyers must report to the Bar within 15 days of agreeing to participate or ending participation with a qualifying provider under Rule Regulating The Florida Bar 4-7.22(e)(1).

For questions regarding Rule 4-7.22 or questions about complying with lawyer advertising rules, call the Ethics Hotline at 800-235-8619 (9:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m., Monday- Friday). For questions regarding annual reporting by qualifying providers and reporting on lawyer participation, send us an email.

Participation with Qualifying Provider Form

Historical Information

Qualifying Provider Rule Historical Information