Picking a lawyer from a billboard or a five-star review site tells you nothing about whether they're actually licensed, in good standing, or facing active disciplinary action. Every state has a free, official way to check — and to find a genuinely qualified attorney in the first place.
Why the State Bar is the actual authority here
In the US, attorneys are licensed by each state's Supreme Court, not by any federal body, with day-to-day oversight delegated to that state's Bar Association. Every state bar maintains a public attorney search directory showing admission date, current status (active, inactive, or suspended), and any history of disciplinary action.
Using the Lawyer Referral Service
Most state bars run a Lawyer Referral and Information Service (LRIS), often accredited by the American Bar Association, which matches you with an attorney in the relevant practice area. A genuine advantage many of these programs offer: a structured initial consultation — commonly in the $25-$50 range, and sometimes free for employment or personal injury matters — rather than an open-ended paid meeting with no fixed cost.
What to check before you sign anything or pay a retainer
- Confirm the attorney's bar number and status in your state's public attorney search — active and in good standing, with no unresolved disciplinary action
- Ask directly whether they've had any disciplinary history — public records typically show this, but confirming it directly is still worth doing
- Understand IOLTA accounts — client funds like retainers are generally required to be held in a separate, regulated trust account (Interest on Lawyers' Trust Accounts), distinct from the firm's own operating funds, as a client protection measure
How to actually use this
- Search for your state's Bar Association and its Lawyer Referral Service (the ABA maintains a directory linking to each state's program).
- Describe your legal issue to get matched with an attorney practicing in that specific area.
- Before the consultation, look up the attorney's bar number in your state's public attorney search to confirm active status.
- At the consultation, ask about fee structure clearly — hourly, flat fee, or contingency — and get anything agreed to in writing before paying a retainer.
See also: for a smaller dispute you may not need an attorney at all — what you can sue for in small claims court by state, without a lawyer.