Potential clients are searching the internet for a lawyer right now.
Who they contact and ultimately hire depends a great deal on what they can learn about the lawyer online. The vast majority want to know about a lawyer's experience, their credentials, and the types of cases they handle. They also want a clear understanding of the legal process and the approximate cost of their case.
Tell them what they want to know through your profile in Illinois Lawyer Finder.
Illinois Lawyer Finder is an exciting member benefit from the ISBA that makes it easier than ever to tell potential clients why you are the best fit for their legal needs.
With a streamlined user interface, ease of access right from your member page, and a simple setup, Illinois Lawyer Finder makes it easier than ever to GET FOUND and GET HIRED!
Ensure your profile is viewable by the public
By default, member profiles are not viewable by the public. To review and/or change this setting, sign in to your ISBA Account page or go to the ISBA website and click the Member Login button.
After verifying the accuracy of your address, scroll down to the Online Public Directory Settings area and make the appropriate selection in Public Profile View.
Click Save then click View & Edit Your Directory Profile.
The site's Terms of Use displays the first time you access Illinois Lawyer Finder. After reading and accepting the Terms of Use and specifying basic default values, you will be directed to the site.
Add and edit profile information
Manage all other Illinois Lawyer Finder information by clicking the edit icon next to the appropriate section.
Note: Some information (e.g., name, email, etc.) must be edited from your ISBA member profile. If you attempt to edit this data, you receive the following message and will be redirected back to your bar profile to make the desired changes.
To edit information in your ISBA member profile, go to ISBA.org, click your name in the top right corner and then select Account.
Make the desired changes and click the ReliaGuide tab in your web browser to return to your
Illinois Lawyer Finder profile.
Show or hide phone, email, and/or address
Members may choose to show or hide their phone, email, and/or address in their profile's public view. To change the view setting for phone or email, click the edit icon next to the appropriate element.
Click the box next to Hide Email, Hide Phone, and/or Hide Address to hide the information from public view. Click OK to save your changes.
Things your profile should contain
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Photos - Prospective clients like to see the person with whom they will be working. Add pictures of your office, pictures of you at meetings, involved in hobbies, or taking part in charitable activities. Click "+ Upload" in the right corner to add one or more photos to your profile. Once uploaded, click on the photo to make it a profile photo or to remove the photo.
- Practice areas- Coupled with location, practice area is the most used search parameter. Include all of your practice areas to ensure the right clients find you. The average member lists 10, so don't be shy!
Note: There is a limit of 5 practice areas with the basic profile. With Profile Plus you may specify an unlimited number of practice areas.
- Biography - Your biography (Profile Plus feature) takes center stage when it comes to telling potential clients who you are. Tell them what makes you unique and what makes you the best choice to handle their legal needs.
Specify details about your practice
The ABOUT MY PRACTICE section of your profile contains a number of items that are searchable and filterable by prospective clients.
If you are accepting new clients, make sure it is indicated in your profile. While you are at it, make it easy for potential clients to connect with you by enabling the CONTACT option.
When a potential client clicks the CONTACT button in your Illinois Lawyer Finder profile, they will be prompted to provide their contact information and summary information about their legal issue. Once submitted, you receive an email containing the contact request details. No sign in is required.
Contact requests are stored in the Contact Request section of your Illinois Lawyer Finder profile for later reference.
To enable these features, click the Edit button in the ABOUT MY PRACTICE section of your profile.
Basic Profile or Profile Plus — Determine which option is right for you
With your free Illinois Lawyer Finder profile, basic information about you and your practice has already been created and is currently viewable to consumers (except judges and government lawyers).
If you are looking to grow your practice and are interested in attracting new clients, upgrading to Profile Plus for $10/month or $110/year will allow you to round out your profile and improve your chances of getting hired.
Get noticed and get hired with Profile Plus. Make your profile stand out by adding a photo, specifying all your practice areas, and providing details about your practice. Building your profile is easy with Profile Plus.
Upgrading your profile
To upgrade to Profile Plus and/or add the Website or Analytics add on, click Upgrade from the side menu or simply click the lock next to any Profile Plus feature..
The Profile Upgrade Options screen outlines the features available with all available options. Click Select below the desired option(s) then click Continue.
Accessing other options
Your dashboard, contact requests, and other profile options are available from the side menu.
Viewing the public-facing directory
To access the public facing directory, click the magnifying class in the left menu and search by your name.
To return to editing your profile, click My Account in the upper right corner.
Helpful Resources