Page 40 - June2019_BarJournal

BarJournal FEATuRE

JULY/AUGUST 2015
ExTra cMBa’s LrS:

How Does It Work?

BY KATHLEEN DONOVAN ONDERS

ave you ever referred anyone to 4 p.m. to talk with callers who need, or think providing them with a free initial consultation. LRS
to CMBA’s Lawyer Referral they need, to find a lawyer. Approximately 20,000 clients who call our office are provided with one
Service (LRS)? Do you know inquiries come to the LRS each year. During attorney’s name. If that attorney is unable to assist
what happens when a person the 2017–18 fiscal year, our Intake Specialists them, they may call back to receive an additional
Hcalls the LRS? Do you know 22% provided 13,625 referrals to LRS attorneys. More referral and will ultimately be provided with up to
of LRS referrals come to us from attorneys? than 6,000 callers were given other resources (i.e., three attorney referrals in one area of law if needed.
Thank you to all of you who have referred your the Legal Aid Society, the Ohio Justice & Policy Thank you to all the LRS attorneys who
friends, family, neighbors & clients to the LRS. Center, etc.) or direction as to how they could assist CMBA in providing this public service.
CMBA’s LRS directly benefits members of the represent themselves in Small Claims Court. We We couldn’t do it without you! We celebrate
public who are looking to connect with an attorney continue to provide 1,000+ referrals each month. and recognize the following LRS attorneys who
and the attorneys who participate. The LRS is like LRS clients who obtain a referral online can excelled this year while helping LRS clients:
a small law firm within CMBA — complete with compare up to three attorneys at a time and • Roni Sokol who successfully represented a
advertising, budgets, business development, intake, then choose one. More than 20% of LRS clients dog-bite victim who incurred facial injuries;
etc. The LRS is currently comprised of 164 attorneys use the website to find a referral. Many of those • Ryan Fisher and Meghan Connolly who
who have been approved by the LRS Oversight people still have questions and want to have a successfully settled a personal injury case;
Committee under the direction of co-chairs, Sandy conversation about their particular issue to get • Mark Turner who represented many clients
Kelly and Ryan Fisher. These 164 attorneys have help in determining what area of law their issue regarding consumer law issues, business
earned more than $934,000 through April from falls under or who could best help them. law, nonprofits and tax law;
business developed via LRS referrals. Last fiscal In the LRS world, conversation is key. Our • Mark Biggerman and Sheldon Starke who
year, the LRS attorneys earned nearly $1.1 million. Intake Specialists do a fabulous job with this. We worked together to help a client with an
In addition to developing clients, LRS attorneys currently have one attorney, two paralegals, three employment law case;
consistently live out CMBA’s mission to improve the law students and one college grad (who aspires • Michael Goldstein who successfully tried and
quality of and public trust in the administration of to be a law student in the near future) answering won a personal injury case; and
justice and the legal profession. They work diligently calls. They provide service with a smile even when • Sean Sobel who has converted numerous
to provide free initial consultations to LRS clients callers are uncooperative (yes, we do occasionally employment law referrals into clients with
thus building the reputation of all attorneys. As a hear from people who are very unhappy with his partners Claire Wade-Kilts and Peter
recent LRS client shared, “Because of CMBA’s Lawyer the legal world). We know that these callers are Mapley, the award winning LRS Rookies of
Referral Service, I have a better opinion of attorneys typically going through a difficult time and that the Year in 2017 and 2018.
and was blessed by kindness and compassion/ they would not likely be reaching out to us if they This year’s recipients of the CMBA LRS
humanity.” Gina T., September 2018 LRS client. weren’t in a crisis. On a perfect day, we provide each Community Service Awards are: Roni Sokol
LRS clients connect with us by either calling us caller with the name and number of an attorney and Mark Biggerman & Sheldon Starke. This
directly or by using our website. Intake Specialists who will respond by listening to their issues year’s CMBA LRS Rookie of the Year is Sean
are available Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. and either representing them or at the very least Sobel. Congratulations.

Interested in joining the LRS? We’d love to have
you! We are specifically looking for attorneys
who practice in the area of Civil Rights or School
Law. Check out the application at CleMetroBar.
org/LawyerReferral or contact Katie Donovan
Onders at konders@clemetrobar.org

Kathleen Donovan Onders is the Manager
for CMBA’s Lawyer Referral Service. She
has been a CMBA member since 1994
and can be reached at (216) 696-3525
ext. 5002 or konders@clemetrobar.org.
40 | Cleveland Metropolitan Bar Journal clemetrobar.org