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How we vet attorneys

Our attorney vetting process is five checks, applied the same way to every firm: an active license, real experience in your case type, the resources to fight, written fee terms, and a lawyer you can reach. Miss one and the answer is no. Checking your case is free and puts you under no obligation.

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By Michael Mangione, Legal Research Editor Last reviewed August 1, 2026 9 min read
The standard
Five checks
License, case type fit, resources, written fees, and access. All five, or no introduction.
Who verifies
The state bar
License status and discipline come from the bar itself, not from a firm's own marketing.
What it costs you
Nothing
The screening is free. The attorney pays us only if you hire them and the case resolves.
What it is not
A guarantee
Screening improves your odds of a good fit. No one can promise an outcome, and we do not.

Key takeaways

  • It is a gate, not a score. There is no weighted ranking where a strong firm can offset a failed license check. Any single failure ends the review.
  • Case type is the check most services skip. A capable general practitioner is not automatically the right lawyer for a commercial vehicle or catastrophic injury claim.
  • Payment does not affect the outcome. Firms pay a referral fee only after a case resolves, and paying more does not move a firm through any of these checks.
  • You can repeat every check yourself. License and discipline lookups are free and public, and this page tells you exactly where to run them.
Editorial content, not legal advice

MVA Lawyer Network is an independent publisher and referral service. It is not a law firm. Nothing on this page is legal advice, and reading it or submitting a form does not create an attorney client relationship. No outcome is promised or guaranteed, and past results do not guarantee future outcomes. If you are facing an emergency, call 911.

The standard, in four numbers

Attorney oversight in the United States is real, public, and enforced by state regulators. These are the figures that shape what any honest screening can and cannot do.

5
checks every attorney must clear before we introduce anyone. Miss one and the review stops there.
$100k
minimum errors and omissions cover per occurrence, plus $300,000 in aggregate, that California requires of every lawyer on a certified referral panel.
2 years
the longest California lets a certified service go between reviews of continued panel membership.
50
states, each with its own bar, its own discipline record, and its own rules. There is no national license.

Sources: California Business and Professions Code section 6155(f)(6) and Rules of the State Bar of California, title 3, division 5, chapter 3, rules 11.3 and 11.4. Requirements differ by state.

01 What vetting means here

Quick answer

Vetting means checking verifiable facts about a law firm before sending anyone to it. That is how we vet attorneys: license status, discipline history, case type experience, financial capacity, written fee terms, and responsiveness. It is not an endorsement of quality, and it is not a prediction about your case.

The word gets used loosely across this industry. Some sites call a firm vetted because it paid to join a directory. Others mean a staff member glanced at a website. Neither tells you anything useful, so it is worth being precise about what the word carries here.

What we verify are facts, not opinions. Whether a license is active is a fact. Whether discipline appears on the record is a fact. Whether a firm has tried commercial vehicle cases to verdict is a fact. Whether a lawyer is a good lawyer is a judgment, and any service claiming to measure that with a badge is selling you something.

That limit is the point. A screening built on checkable facts can be audited by you. A screening built on adjectives cannot.

Bottom line: we screen for disqualifying facts, then get out of the way so you can judge fit yourself.

02 The five checks

Quick answer

Every firm must clear all five checks below before it receives a single introduction. This is a gate rather than a ranking: there is no total score, and a strong record in one area cannot offset a failure in another.

  • Active, discipline free license

    Verified good standing with the bar of the state where your claim belongs, with no unresolved discipline on the public record.

  • Real experience in your case type

    A track record in commercial vehicle and catastrophic injury work, not a general practice that takes whatever arrives.

  • Resources to fund the fight

    The ability to pay for reconstruction, medical experts, and litigation against a defence that is already funded.

  • Fee terms in writing, before you sign

    A contingency percentage and a clear statement of how case costs are handled, given to you in advance to read.

  • A lawyer you can actually reach

    A named point of contact and a firm that answers, because the most common bar complaint is a lawyer who goes quiet.

A county courthouse with columns and a clock tower
Check one
The bar keeps the record. We just go and read it.

03 Check one: license and discipline

Quick answer

We confirm the attorney holds an active license in the state where your claim belongs and has no unresolved discipline on the public record. Every state bar publishes this, it is free to search, and it is the one check nobody should ever take on trust.

There is no national law license. A lawyer admitted in one state is generally not permitted to practice in another, which matters more than people expect in vehicle cases, where the crash, the carrier, and the injured person are often in three different states.

Discipline records are public for a reason. Bars publish suspensions, reprimands, and disbarments so consumers can find them. A firm's own website will not mention any of it. That asymmetry is the whole argument for checking the source rather than the marketing.

Panel standards
Some states set a floor for who may take referrals
Cal. Bus. & Prof. Code § 6155(f)(6); Rules of the State Bar of Cal., r. 11.3, 11.4

California requires every lawyer on a certified referral panel to comply with applicable professional standards and to carry errors and omissions cover of at least $100,000 per occurrence and $300,000 in aggregate per year, with proof supplied to the State Bar on request. The rules also require the service to review continued panel membership at least once every two years and to evaluate the quality of services members provide. State Bar of California

Errors and omissions insurance is a law firm's own malpractice cover. It is what pays a client if the firm's mistake, rather than the defendant's conduct, causes the loss. Not every state requires it, so it is a fair question to ask any lawyer directly.

Those requirements apply to certified services in California specifically, and other states take different approaches. We treat the malpractice cover and the recurring re-check as sensible practice generally, because a license verified once and never looked at again is not really verified.

04 Check two: case type experience

Quick answer

We check that the firm actually handles the kind of claim you have. A commercial truck case turns on federal carrier regulations, electronic logging data, and layered insurance policies. A lawyer who mainly settles car claims is not automatically equipped for that, and the professional rules say so.

Duty of competence
Competence is specific, not general
ABA Model Rules of Professional Conduct r. 1.1

A lawyer must provide competent representation, and competent representation "requires the legal knowledge, skill, thoroughness and preparation reasonably necessary for the representation." The comment to the rule contemplates that a lawyer may need to refer a matter to, or associate with, a lawyer of established competence in the field in question. Competence is measured against the matter in front of the lawyer, not in the abstract. American Bar Association

In practice this check asks narrow questions. Has the firm handled cases against motor carriers or their insurers. Does it know to send an evidence preservation letter in the first days. Has it worked with accident reconstruction and life care planning experts. Does it litigate, or does it settle everything.

A common scenario

A capable general practice lawyer takes a serious tractor trailer case as a favor to a long standing client. The firm has never sent a spoliation letter to a motor carrier, and by the time it does, months have passed. Some driver duty records only have to be kept for six months. The lawyer was competent, careful, and simply in the wrong specialty.

If you want the underlying criteria in a form you can carry into a consultation, our attorney vetting checklist sets them out as questions rather than prose.

05 Check three: resources to fight

Quick answer

Serious injury cases cost real money to build, and in a contingency arrangement the firm normally fronts that cost. We check the firm can carry it, because an underfunded case settles early and cheaply regardless of how strong the facts are.

Reconstruction engineers, treating physician depositions, economists, and life care planners are not optional extras in a catastrophic claim. They are how future care and lost earning capacity get proved. A firm that cannot fund them is negotiating without the evidence it needs.

The other side is already funded. A commercial insurer investigates within hours and has counsel on retainer before you have picked one. Resource parity is not a luxury check, it is what stops a claim from being resolved on the defence's timetable.

Not sure whether your case needs this level of firm?

An empty curved road running through open country at dawn
Narrowing the field
Most firms never reach you. That is the entire job.

06 Check four: written fee terms

Quick answer

We check the firm puts its contingency percentage and its treatment of case costs in writing before you sign. This is not a courtesy. Under the professional rules a contingent fee agreement has to be in a signed writing that explains exactly how the fee is calculated.

Fee agreements
The agreement must show its working
ABA Model Rules of Professional Conduct r. 1.5(c)

A contingent fee agreement must be in a writing signed by the client, stating the method by which the fee is determined, the percentage that accrues on settlement, at trial and on appeal, which expenses are deducted from the recovery, and whether expenses are deducted before or after the fee is calculated. At the end of the matter the lawyer must provide a written statement showing the outcome and how the remittance was reached. American Bar Association

Read the before or after clause. A one third fee taken before costs are deducted and the same fee taken after produce meaningfully different checks. The rule requires the agreement to say which applies. Ask the firm to work an example on paper.

We are paid by the attorney, never by you, and that payment sits on the firm's side of the ledger rather than yours. The full explanation is on our page about how we make money.

07 Check five: access to your lawyer

Quick answer

We check you will have a named contact and a firm that responds. Poor communication is one of the most common subjects of client complaints to state bars, and it is also a professional duty rather than a matter of style.

Duty to communicate
Keeping you informed is a rule, not a favor
ABA Model Rules of Professional Conduct r. 1.4

A lawyer must reasonably consult with the client about how objectives are to be accomplished, keep the client reasonably informed about the status of the matter, and promptly comply with reasonable requests for information. The lawyer must also explain matters to the extent reasonably necessary for the client to make informed decisions. American Bar Association

Ask two questions in the consultation and you will learn most of what you need. Who is the person handling my file day to day, and what happens if I call and they are unavailable. Vague answers before you sign rarely improve afterwards.

08 How a review actually runs

Quick answer

A firm is reviewed before it joins the network and re-checked afterwards. The sequence below is the same for every firm, and it costs you nothing at any stage.

1

License and discipline lookup

We search the bar record in every state where the firm says it practices, confirm the license is active, and read any discipline on file. A failure here ends the review immediately.

2

Case type evidence

We ask the firm to show commercial vehicle and catastrophic injury work rather than describe it, including whether it litigates or settles and which experts it routinely uses.

3

Capacity and fee review

We look at whether the firm can fund experts and litigation, and we read its standard contingency agreement to confirm the percentage and cost handling are stated plainly.

4

Introduction on fit, never on payment

When a request matches a firm's state and case type, we make the introduction. What a firm pays after a case resolves has no bearing on who hears about your matter.

5

Re-check and removal

License and discipline are re-checked periodically, and we act on what clients tell us. A firm that stops responding, or picks up discipline, comes off the list.

Nothing in that sequence obliges you to hire anyone. You can take the introduction, interview the firm, and walk away. You can also start it from the free case review page.

City skyline with tall buildings and a broadcast tower at dusk
Fifty jurisdictions
One national standard would be simpler. It does not exist.

09 What vetting cannot promise

Quick answer

Screening improves the odds of a good fit. It cannot predict a result, guarantee a settlement figure, or promise that you will like the lawyer. Anyone claiming otherwise is describing something no referral service is able to deliver.

What we can verify

  • License status in the relevant state
  • Public discipline history
  • Whether the firm handles your case type
  • Whether fee terms are put in writing
  • Whether the firm responds to contact

What nobody can verify

  • What your case is worth
  • Whether you will win
  • How a particular jury will react
  • Whether you and the lawyer will get along
  • That a good record predicts your result
Claims that should stop you

Guaranteed outcomes. No lawyer and no service can promise a result. Top rated, with no source. Ask who rated them and on what evidence. Best lawyer in your state. Superlatives are marketing, and several states restrict them. Sign today or lose your case. Deadlines are real, but pressure to sign immediately is a tactic. A fee that appears only after signing. Terms belong in writing beforehand.

10 How to check our work

Quick answer

Run the license check yourself with the state bar, then put five questions to any attorney we introduce. If a firm we sent you fails one of our own checks, tell us and we will remove it.

The first step takes about two minutes. Every state bar publishes a free lookup showing whether a license is active and whether discipline is on record. That single search independently confirms the check we consider non negotiable.

  • How many cases like mine has this firm handled, and how recently?
  • Who will actually work on my file day to day?
  • Do you take cases to trial, or do you settle nearly all of them?
  • What is your fee, and are costs deducted before or after it is calculated?
  • Who pays the expert and litigation costs if the case does not recover?

If we get it wrong, we want to know. A firm that stops answering, pressures a client, or refuses written terms is not meeting the standard on this page, and the fastest way to fix that is for someone to tell us. If you would rather start over entirely, our guide to how to find a lawyer works whether or not you use this service.

Sources and authorities

Every professional rule and regulatory requirement described above is cited to the body that issued it.

Professional conduct rules

Referral panel regulation

  • California Business and Professions Code section 6155, including the panel insurance requirement at subdivision (f)(6). Justia.
  • Rules of the State Bar of California, title 3, division 5, chapter 3, lawyer referral services, rules 11.3 and 11.4. State Bar of California.
  • Rules Regulating The Florida Bar 4-7.22, referrals, directories and pooled advertising. The Florida Bar.

Verifying a lawyer

Our editorial standards

How we keep this page accurate and worth trusting.

01

Primary sources only

Claims cite the regulation or the governing rule, not another firm's summary of it.

02

Reviewed and dated

The page shows when it was last reviewed and is updated when the rules change.

03

Editorial, not legal advice

General information to help you make decisions, not advice about your case.

04

Honest about how we operate

We are a referral service, not a law firm, and may be paid if you hire through us.

Michael Mangione, Legal Research Editor
Michael Mangione Verified editor
Legal Research Editor · Founder, The Mangione Group, Inc.

MVA Lawyer Network is edited by Michael Mangione, who has spent more than a decade in personal injury lead generation, client intake, and contingency based law firm marketing. He built the screening described on this page after years inside intake departments, watching which firms were equipped for a specialty case and which simply took whatever arrived. Michael is not a practicing attorney and does not give legal advice. Every legal statement on this site is sourced to primary authority, and independent attorneys handle the legal work.

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Common questions, answered

General information, not legal advice. For advice about your specific situation, talk to a licensed attorney.

What does vetted actually mean on this site?

It means the firm cleared five checkable facts before receiving any introduction: an active and discipline free license in the relevant state, demonstrated experience in your case type, the financial capacity to fund experts and litigation, written fee terms, and a named contact who responds. It is not a rating of quality and it is not a prediction about your case.

Does an attorney pay to be in your network?

A firm pays a referral fee only after a client hires it and the case resolves. Payment does not move a firm through any of the five checks and does not decide who hears about your matter. If a firm fails the license check, no amount of money changes that answer.

How is your attorney vetting process different from a directory?

A paid directory lists whoever buys a listing, and the badge usually reflects a subscription rather than a check. Our screening starts with the state bar record and stops the review the moment a firm fails. The practical difference is that a directory is a marketing product and a screening is a filter that removes firms.

Can I verify the attorney myself?

Yes, and you should. Every state bar publishes a free lookup showing whether a license is active and whether discipline is on record. Search the bar for the state where your claim belongs, confirm the license, then ask the firm directly how many cases like yours it has handled and who will work on your file.

What happens if a firm you referred me to is bad?

Tell us. A firm that stops responding, applies pressure to sign, or refuses to put fee terms in writing is not meeting the standard on this page, and we act on that. Serious conduct issues also belong with the state bar, which is the body that can actually investigate and discipline a lawyer.

Do you check malpractice insurance?

Professional liability cover is part of what we look at, and some states make it mandatory for referral panels. California requires every lawyer on a certified referral panel to carry at least $100,000 per occurrence and $300,000 in aggregate per year. Requirements vary by state, so ask the firm directly what cover it carries.

Are you a law firm?

No. MVA Lawyer Network is an independent publisher and referral service. We do not practice law and we do not give legal advice, and using this site does not create an attorney client relationship. Any legal work is handled by an independent attorney you hire directly, and that attorney alone is responsible for the advice you receive.

How often do you re-check a firm?

License and discipline are re-checked periodically rather than once at sign up, because both can change. California's rules for certified referral services require a review of continued panel membership at least once every two years, which we treat as a sensible floor rather than a target.

Why does case type matter so much?

Because commercial vehicle and catastrophic injury claims turn on things a general practice rarely touches: federal carrier regulations, electronic logging data, layered insurance, and expert proof of future care. The professional duty of competence is measured against the specific matter, and the comment to the rule contemplates referring a case to a lawyer with established competence in that field.

Do you cover my state?

We publish for readers in all 50 states and work to connect people with attorneys licensed where the claim belongs. Depth of coverage varies by state and by case type. If we do not have an appropriate firm for your matter, we will tell you that rather than making an introduction that does not fit.

Does being vetted mean I will win?

No, and any service suggesting otherwise is overselling. Screening removes firms that are not licensed, not experienced in your case type, or not equipped to fund the work. It cannot predict a result, a settlement figure, or how a jury will react. Past results never guarantee a similar outcome.

Is there a named attorney reviewing this site?

Not currently. Content is researched and reviewed by Michael Mangione, Legal Research Editor, against primary sources. He is not a practicing attorney and does not give legal advice, and we say so rather than implying a credential we do not have. We think you are better served knowing that than seeing a title we cannot support.

What does any of this cost me?

Nothing. The screening, the case review, and the introduction are all free to you, and you are under no obligation to hire anyone. If you do hire a firm and the case later resolves, that firm pays us a referral fee out of the fee it already charges. You are never billed by us.

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