Attorney Referrals

You can earn more money with no extra work by adding one extra question to your intake: “Have you or has anyone you know been in a car wreck in the past few months?”

When a potential client answers yes, send their name and contact information to refer@thelockefirm.com and we’ll handle the rest.

Why should you refer personal injury cases to us?

• You will make the client happy by sending them to us. The client can stop dealing with the insurance adjusters, get advice about doctors and treatment, and arrange medical funding or a treatment lien if they don’t have health insurance. Our clients often tell us they were anxious and uncertain until we stepped in.

• The client will get more money for their claim. We add significant value to the claim, which usually means we pay for ourselves. We’re routinely able to double the insurance company’s initial offer and reduce liens by large amounts—sometimes as much 80 or 90%. We’re proactive on Medpay coverage to get it to the client instead of directly to the provider. And we help clients maximize their property damage and diminished value claims for free.

• It’s free money for you! We typically pay 33% of our fee to the referring attorney. We will keep you updated with regular updates and send you a referral check as soon as we settle the case or get a verdict. State Bar rules allow us to pay you a referral fee so long as the client approves (our fee agreement includes this provision and your referral fee is a line item in the settlement statement).

Most of our cases are attorney referrals. Other lawyers refer personal injury cases to us because they know we fight like hell for top dollar in every case--whether it's a death or catastrophic injury case or soft tissue case. (In fact, Ryan's most proud of our soft tissue cases where we turn less-than-medical-bills offers into a 5x, 10x, or 20x settlement or verdict.)

Our referral partners trust us to make them look good because:

• We communicate with the client. Ryan gives all clients his cell phone number and texts with them. When they call, he (usually) picks up. We also use Acuity Scheduling so clients can schedule calls or meetings online and avoid phone tag. Click on that box in the top right to see it.

• We communicate with our referral partners. Our practice management system links referring lawyers to cases, so we never forget about you, and every month we send you an email updating you about the status of the case. (We also do this for clients so they don't feel forgotten during lulls in the case).

• We fully comply with Georgia Rule of Professional Conduct 1.5(e). The client agrees to the division of the fee in our written fee agreement, we assume joint responsibility for the representation, the client is advised of the share that each lawyer receives in writing, and we ensure the client does not object to the participation of all lawyers involved.

• We're super efficient. We use lots of technology and systems to work fast and avoid delays. Ryan loves showing this stuff off--schedule lunch and come by the office first.

• We care about protecting the client's money. If they're getting jerked around on a diminished value claim, we draft a demand for it (and usually don't charge them). We request medical records using our HITECH system, saving the client hundreds or thousands of dollars (read about our system in the HITECH Guide under the resources tab). We always negotiate lien and subrogation interests down. We don't charge bullshit fees to the client for routine postage or copies.

• We issue prompt payment. When we settle the case or obtain a verdict, we pay you the referral fee with a settlement statement immediately.

• Ryan is a zealous advocate. Ryan was a public defender before starting this firm--so he knows how to march into court and put up a fight. It doesn't matter if the case is hard or we take a few hits to the mouth; Ryan keeps fighting.

and perhaps the most important reason

• Ryan is a lawyer who loves what he does and cares about his clients. But you already knew that, didn't you?

Email: ryan@thelockefirm.com

Office: 404-900-5672

Ryan's cell (text him!): 404-909-7795