Other opposes a percentage fee program because they believe it will require them to collect funds on behalf of the lawyer referral service. Panel attorneys, however, need only collect the fee normally charged for their services and remit a portion of that to the service. Simple economic concerns are another source of opposition. Attorneys may resist dividing the fees and generating less income for their services. So, remember to point out that a percentage fee program is fair because the cost of operation is borne by those attorneys who benefit financially from the service.
Attorneys pay percentage fees only on referrals that result in fee-generating cases.
Involve and Inform Panel Members in Advance Panel members must be fully informed well before such a program goes into effect. Some services survey their members about their receptiveness to the idea and publish several articles regarding the proposed arrangement in the local bar publication. It helps to inform members that the trend among lawyer referral services is to raise revenue in this manner, and to ask them for their opinions. Stress the fact that the new fee structure will allow for improvements in the service that the LRS provides to participating attorneys. For example, if the increased fees are to be used, in part, for expanded marketing such as increased advertising in the Yellow Pages, you should give this information to paned members.