Licensing Disclosure — Legal Online Directory

Legal Online Directory is a lead-generation platform. This page clarifies our role, what we do not do, and how licensed agents are involved.

Identity of Service and Regulatory Status

Legal Online Directory is a lead-generation marketplace and attorney directory. We are not a law firm, we do not practice law, and we do not provide legal advice or legal representation. Our platform functions as an intermediary that connects consumers seeking legal assistance with independent, licensed attorneys who have purchased advertising or lead-generation services.

In compliance with FTC Act § 5 (15 U.S.C. § 45(a)), which prohibits unfair or deceptive acts or practices, we explicitly disclose that the "matching" or "referral" of a consumer to an attorney is a commercial service. The attorneys listed on our platform pay a fee to be included or to receive contact information from interested consumers. This fee does not constitute a recommendation or endorsement of any specific attorney’s competence or character by Legal Online Directory.

No Attorney-Client Relationship

No attorney-client relationship is formed by accessing this website, completing a contact form, or utilizing any of our search tools. Under the principles established in the ABA Model Rules of Professional Conduct, Rule 1.18, duties to prospective clients generally only arise when a lawyer receives information from a person about a potential representation. Because Legal Online Directory is not a law firm, any information submitted to us is not protected by attorney-client privilege or the work-product doctrine.

Users are cautioned not to submit sensitive or confidential information until a formal attorney-client relationship has been established via a signed engagement letter with a licensed attorney. We provide notice of this limitation to comply with state-specific consumer protection laws regarding the unauthorized practice of law (UPL), such as Cal. Bus. & Prof. Code § 6125 and N.Y. Jud. Law § 470.

Attorney Advertising and Professional Rules

The profiles and listings on Legal Online Directory constitute "Attorney Advertising" under the ethics rules of various jurisdictions. We operate in accordance with ABA Model Rules 7.1, 7.2, and 7.3, as adopted and modified by individual states.

Rule 7.1 (Communications Concerning a Lawyer's Services): All attorney-provided content must be truthful and non-misleading. We require attorneys to certify the accuracy of their profiles.
Rule 7.2 (Communications Concerning a Lawyer's Services: Specific Rules): In jurisdictions that allow it, we act as a "qualified lawyer referral service." We disclose to users that attorneys pay for these leads.
State Variations on Referral Fees: Several states strictly regulate or prohibit the sharing of legal fees with non-lawyers under Rule 5.4.
- California: Under CRPC Rule 5.4 and 7.2, non-lawyer referral services must be registered if they operate as a formal referral entity.
- Florida: We comply with Rule 4-7.22, ensuring our advertisements do not imply that Legal Online Directory is a law firm and that all participating attorneys are members of the Florida Bar in good standing.
- Texas: Per Texas Disciplinary Rules of Professional Conduct Rule 7.03, we do not provide anything of value to a person for recommending the lawyer’s services, except for the reasonable cost of advertising.

Lead Generation and Telemarketing Compliance

When you submit a request for a legal consultation, you are providing "Prior Express Written Consent" (PEWC) under the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA), 47 U.S.C. § 227, and the FCC’s December 2023 Second Report and Order (FCC 23-107) regarding "one-to-one" consent.

One-to-One Consent: We do not provide your data to a "marketing list" of hundreds of firms. You must specifically select or be presented with a clear and conspicuous disclosure of the specific attorney or law firm that will contact you. Consent is not a condition of purchase.
National Do Not Call (DNC) Registry: Our platform and the attorneys we partner with scrub data against the National DNC Registry and internal solicitation lists as required by the Telemarketing Sales Rule (TSR), 16 C.F.R. Part 310.
State Mini-TCPAs: We adhere to stricter state-level telemarketing laws, such as the Florida Telephone Solicitation Act (FTSA), Fla. Stat. § 501.059, and similar statutes in Oklahoma and Washington, which may prohibit the use of automated systems for "outreach" without specific localized disclosures.

Case-Exchange and Referral-Fee Settlement

Legal Online Directory operates a case-exchange platform where attorneys may trade or refer matters. We facilitate the settlement of referral fees solely between licensed attorneys in a manner compliant with ABA Model Rule 1.5(e).

To remain compliant with fee-splitting prohibitions, Legal Online Directory:

Does not take a percentage of any legal fee earned from a client (except where permitted under specific state-certified referral service programs).
Charges flat "per-lead" or "access fees" that are not contingent upon the outcome of a legal matter.
Ensures that any fee-sharing between attorneys is disclosed to the client and consented to in writing, as required by state-specific adoptions of Rule 1.5(e).

Document and Form Sales

We offer self-help legal forms and documents for sale. These documents are provided "as-is" and do not include legal advice. In providing these forms, we comply with FTC guidelines on the sale of digital products and state-specific UPL guidelines (e.g., Texas Government Code § 81.101). Our document service is designed to function as a technical "scrivener" service; we do not review your answers for legal sufficiency, draw legal conclusions, or apply the law to the facts of your particular situation.

Legal Funding and Affiliate Disclosures

We may refer users to third-party legal funding partners. Legal Online Directory may receive an affiliate commission or referral fee for these introductions. These partnerships are governed by:

TILA (Truth in Lending Act), 15 U.S.C. § 1601 et seq.: We ensure our partners provide required disclosures regarding interest rates and repayment terms.
State Litigation Funding Laws: We monitor and comply with state registrations for litigation funders, such as those required in Nevada (NRS Chapter 604C) and Indiana (IC 24-4.5-3-110.5).

The receipt of commission is disclosed to the consumer at the point of referral to satisfy FTC Endorsement Guides (16 C.F.R. Part 255), ensuring users understand the financial incentive behind the recommendation.

Data Privacy and Consumer Rights

We process personal data in accordance with comprehensive state privacy laws, including the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA), as amended by the CPRA (Cal. Civ. Code § 1798.100 et seq.), and similar laws in VA, CO, CT, and UT.

Document/Action	Regulatory Basis	Platform Implementation
Right to Opt-Out	CCPA/CPRA § 1798.120	We honor "Global Privacy Control" (GPC) signals and provide a "Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information" link.
Data Minimization	CPRA § 1798.100(c)	We only collect the specific data points necessary to facilitate a legal referral.
Notice at Collection	VCDPA (VA Code § 59.1-574)	We disclose the categories of third parties (law firms) with whom data is shared.

Our handling of non-public personal information for financial-related legal services (e.g., bankruptcy or tax law) adheres to the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act (GLBA), 15 U.S.C. §§ 6801-6809, ensuring administrative and technical safeguards are in place for sensitive data.

Digital Accessibility and Intellectual Property

Legal Online Directory is committed to digital accessibility. We aim to conform to the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1 Level AA to ensure our marketplace is usable by individuals with disabilities, in alignment with Title III of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).

Regarding user-generated content and attorney profiles, we operate under the safe harbor provisions of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA), 17 U.S.C. § 512. If you believe any content on our site infringes your copyright, please follow the notice procedures outlined in our Terms of Service.

Unauthorized Practice of Law (UPL) Disclaimer

Legal Online Directory does not engage in the practice of law. The "Unauthorized Practice of Law" is a criminal offense in many jurisdictions (e.g., Florida Supreme Court v. Moses, 380 So. 2d 412). To prevent UPL, our platform and its employees:

Do not select specific legal strategies for users.
Do not draft individual-specific legal pleadings.
Do not represent users in court or before administrative agencies.
Do not interpret the legal implications of a user's specific facts.

Users are encouraged to verify the licensure of any attorney they connect with via our directory through the relevant State Bar Association.

Contact

For questions regarding this Licensing Disclosure or our regulatory status, please visit our Contact page.