LawGuru.com Attorney FAQ
Below are answers to frequently asked questions about attorney membership, attorney profiles, participation in LawGuru Answers and more.
Just click on any of the questions below to be taken to the appropriate answer.
Answers to "My Profile / Attorney Control Panel" Questions
I joined, now what?
The first thing you should do is complete any missing information from your profile and upload a photo. As a new member, you may also want to familiarize yourself with the Control Panel and LawGuru Answers. You can also answer questions that appear in your Attorney Control Panel. You will also start getting email notifications of new pending questions.
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What is the “Attorney Control Panel”?
Consider this your home base for all of your LawGuru activities. Through the Control Panel you can edit your profile, upload photos, answer questions posted on LawGuru Answers, review your past answers, and soon network with attorneys from around the country and much more.
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How do I edit/change my Attorney Profile?
To edit your profile, simply click on the “Edit Profile” link to the left of your photo. You will be taken to a screen containing all of your information. Make any edits you would like, then hit the “Save” button at the bottom of the page.
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What information on my profile will the public see?
To view the version of your profile that the public will have access to, click on the “View Profile” link on the right side of your photo. If you would like to hide some of this information from the public, click on “Edit Profile” and scroll down to “Profile Display.” Uncheck the boxes next to any information that you would like to keep private, then click on the “Save” button at the bottom of the page. It can take up to 24 hours for you information to be updated.
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How do I upload a photo?
To upload a photo, click on the “Edit Photo” link to the right of the photo pane. Click the “Browse” button to locate the photo on your computer. Once you have located the photo, click “Upload” and you’re done.
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How do I delete a photo?
To delete a photo, click on the “Edit Photo” link to the right of your existing photo. Click on the delete link.
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What does "Go Inactive" mean?
Basically, going inactive makes the system stop sending you e-mail notifications of new questions in your area. By going inactive, you can still participate in the Knowledge Base, but you will not be notified by e-mail each time a new question is posted in your area(s) of practice. This function is useful if you will be away for a while and don't want your e-mailbox filled up or if you just don't want notifications for new questions. If you are inactive, you can still search for and read (new) questions using the search function on the menu. You can become active again, at any time, simply by logging into the attorney menu and selecting the "Reactivate Your Attorney Profile" link.
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What is the difference between going inactive and deleting an attorney profile?
Going inactive and deleting your attorney profile
are not the same thing. Going inactive mainly stops the system from sending you e-mail notifications of new questions (see the previous questions), while deleting your profile removes you permanently from the system.
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I lost my password, what do I do?
On the
LawGuru for Professionals page, click on the “Forgot Your Password” link to the right of the login box. To receive an email with your password, enter either your email address or LawGuru userID.
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What is the Pay Questions Option?
The Paid Questions Option link will take you to a page where you can either agree to accept paid questions (if available in your country or state) or you can stop receiving paid questions.
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What is the Payment History link?
The Payment History link take you to a page that shows your total earnings from paid questions. You can click on the “Details” link next to the total for more information.
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Answers to "LawGuru Answers" Questions
What Is LawGuru Answers / The LawGuru Knowledge Base?
Every month LawGuru.com receives tens of thousands of legal questions. Years ago, we spent several months trying to figure out a way to efficiently distribute these questions, which potentially could lead to new business, for other attorneys. The result: The LawGuru Knowledge Base, revolutionized the way legal questions were answered online and is a repository of hundreds of thousands of past legal questions and answers available to the public. LawGuru Answers is the next step - the next generation of our service.
In short LawGuru Answers allows users to post legal questions and helps attorneys, who can participate for free, answer those questions through a custom web based interface.
Users can post both free question or paid questions. Attorneys can either choose only to answer free questions or choose to also participate in the paid questions program (which will give them the opportunity to answer both paid and free questions. Information about the paid program can be
found here.
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What do I get for participating in LawGuru Answers?
Many of our attorneys view participating in LawGuru Answers as a public service. LawGuru Answers can also serve as a new way for you to "do business" on the web. Today you see many services that ask you to pay an exorbitant fee to simply be listed. LawGuru Answers gives attorneys the opportunity to be on a very popular legal website that attracts people with legal questions for free.
Furthermore, attorney who choose to participate in the Paid LawGuru Answers program have the potential to earn an additional revenue stream by answering legal questions.
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How does the LawGuru Answers work?
Users are able to search LawGuru Answers' legal question and answer database (made up of past questions and answers and automatically growing every day) in a variety of legal subjects. If a user is unable to find an answer they can use LawGuru Answers to ask a question. Users can choose to submit a free legal question or if they are in a hurry, they can submit a paid legal question.
Once the question is posted, participating attorneys who are selected by the user, will receive automatic email notification that a new question was posted. Attorneys can then directly "jump" to the question's URL (on LawGuru.com) from their browser and use the LawGuru Answers tools for attorneys to answer or otherwise handle the new question (or any other previous question). Questions are also visible via the attorney control panel - which is automatically updated.
Free questions are distributed to all attorneys. Paid questions are only distributed to attorneys that have chosen to receive paid questions (in states where available).
Free questions that are submitted, are stripped of most identifying information about the user (such as name, phone, address, email, etc.). Paid questions will include the name of the user so that the attorney can perform a conflict check. Information about the paid program can be
found here.
When an answer to a question is posted the user is notified (via e-mail) of where (what web address/URL on LawGuru Answer) to find the answer. Users can then read the answer(s) and directly contact the attorney(s) who answered their question. Every attorney answer to a question, will have the answering attorney's information (i.e. name, address, phone number, e-mail etc.) automatically attached to the answer and to the e-mail reply notification. The user will also be able to click on a link at the end of any answer and find out more information about that attorney, from a specially generated attorney profile page each attorney has. Each attorney can control what information is shown on their profile page, including a customized "blurb" written by them. In effect, each attorney also gets "free web space" on LawGuru.com.
Everyone benefits in this situation. LawGuru.com benefits by getting more traffic, the attorney benefits by getting more and more "exposure" whenever a question is answered, and most importantly, the user of the site wins by hopefully finding or getting an answer to their legal question.
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How are questions distributed?
Free questions are distributed to all attorneys whose profile matches a particular question. For example if a question deals with New York personal injury law, all attorneys on the Knowledge Base who are in New York (or have an office in New York) and who selected "Personal Injury Law" in their profile, would get notified (via e-mail) about the question. The e-mail notification will also have the URL of the question so that you can jump directly to it. Please note that certain types of questions dealing with federal law (i.e. BK, ADA, FMLA etc.) are distributed to attorneys in other states who practice that type of law, regardless of the setting in the profile (i.e. "not receive out of state questions"). This is done since these types of questions are generally not state law specific and give those questions a better chance of receiving a reply.
Paid questions are distributed a little differently. As part of the paid question process, users can select which attorneys get a chance to receive and answer their question. Users can select i) all attorneys in their state who match the practice area of the question; ii) all attorneys in their state, regardless of practice area or iii) individual attorneys in their state manually.
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How to handle questions.
Questions are directly sent to the appropriate attorneys (i.e. those matching category and state or selected by the user). Member attorneys will then have the opportunity to answer the question.
Each question notification message contains a link you can click on that will take you to the reply screen. Please make sure the question is appropriate before you answer it.
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Why am I getting questions from other states?
LawGuru Answers distributes questions based on location (state or country) and area of law. In your profile you have the option to receive out-of-state questions for areas of law that are primarily federal in scope (such as immigration, bankruptcy, ADA, etc.).
If your practice involves areas of law that are mainly based on federal law, you may choose to receive out of state questions, since it is likely you will be able to help.
To change your out-of-state question settings, simply
log in click the
Edit Profile link on the sidebar of your attorney control panel. Once there, simply check or un-check the "Receive Out-of-State Questions" box.
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How do I leave LawGuru Answers?
There are two ways to discontinue your participation in LawGuru Answers:
- You can go inactive and stop receiving e-mail notifications (although you can still participate by reading and replying to questions). You can the become active again at any time;
- You can delete your profile and remove yourself permanently from LawGuru Answers. If you decide to rejoin LawGuru Answers, you will have to go through the application process again.
Both options can be selected from the Attorney Control Panel. Simply log in (if necessary), and go to the "Profile Manager" section and by selecting either "Delete Your Attorney Profile" or "Go Inactive".
Use the "Go Inactive" function if you just want to "take a break" from LawGuru Answers or don't wish to receive new question notifications. Use the "Delete Your Attorney Profile" function if you do not wish to participate in the Knowledge Base any longer and want your profile to be permanently removed.
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Can I stop receiving e-mail new question notifications?
There currently is no way to keep your profile active but to stop receiving new question e-mail notifications. However, by "going inactive" you can stop LawGuru Answers from sending you notification each time a new question is posted in your area(s) of law.
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Do I have to answer every question I receive?
No, there is no requirement for attorneys to answer any questions. However, we encourage you to try to answer the questions that you want to answer. Furthermore, answered questions will be added to the database and be available for others to see. As you know, each answer also has a tag with your name and contact information and would thus serve as an additional avenue for promoting you and your practice.
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Inappropriate Replies
Attorneys should not use LawGuru Answers as a place for shameless plugs for their services (i.e. a reply should not just be a solicitation for a call). However, if an attorney provides a good answer and ends by saying "call me for additional information" in most cicumstances this would be acceptable.
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What is the Paid LawGuru Answers program?
The Paid LawGuru Answers program allows our users to pay a small fee to have access to additional features for their legal question (e.g. expedited answers, privacy options, enhanced communication with the attorney, etc.). Participation in this new paid system is purely optional and has the potential to provide you additional revenue. Users submitting paid questions and the answering attorney will enter into a limited scope of representation agreement ("Limited Representation Agreement") which will create an attorney-client relationship which is limited in both scope (only involves the answer to the question) and duration (ends when the answer is delivered). Although a recent phenomenon, these types of agreements (also known as unbundled services) are gaining popularity and believed to be an integral part of the future of legal representation. Information about the paid program can be
found here.
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Do I have to participate in the Paid LawGuru Answers program?
No you don't. For those members who choose not to participate in the new paid component of LawGuru Answers, please rest assured that your access to and participation in the free service will continue without interruption. LawGuru remains committed to the free service and continuing to work with our attorney members in providing this valuable service to the public. Information about the paid program can be
found here.
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I am not receiving Paid Questions. What is going on?
There could be two different reasons why you are not receiving paid questions. First, you might have not opted to receive paid questions. To change your settings to receive paid questions go to the Attorney Control Panel and click on the "Paid Questions Option" link in the right column. This will take you to a page with a button that says "Yes, I would" under the text "Would you like to answer paid questions?". Click on the button and you will begin receiving paid questions if they are available in your state. Second, you might not be receiving paid questions because the option might not be available in your country. Currently, the paid option is only available in the United States, but we are planning on also launching it internationally.
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How do I get paid for answering paid questions?
You can check how much you have earned by clicking on the "Payment History" link in the right column of the Attorney Control Panel. The attorney fees will be paid monthly via check or PayPal. Payments will be made approximately 30 days after the end of the month in which the fees were earned. For example, fees earned in June will be paid by July 30th.
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How do I answer questions?
When a new question is submitted in your state and areas of practice you will receive an email notification. The questions will also appear in your Attorney Control Panel.
Free Questions: You can answer free questions via the link provided in the email notifications or by clicking on the question appearing in the Attorney Control Panel. When you click on the email link you will be taken to a page where you can type in your answer. If other attorneys have already provided a response, you will see previous responses, but you will still be able to provide an answer. If you click on the question in the control panel, you will also be taken to a page where you can post your answer. Once you have typed the answer, click on the "Preview Answer" button and either click on "Edit Answer" to make more changes or on "Submit Answers" to submit the answer. The user will be notified via email of your answer.
Paid Questions: You can answer paid questions via the link provided in the email notifications or by clicking on the question appearing in the Attorney Control Panel. When you click on the email link or on the question link in the Attorney Control Panel you will be able to retain the question so that you may answer it. Retaining the question means that you have indicated that you will be answering the question. You will have two (2) hours to answer a paid question you have retained. During that time no other attorney will be able to answer that paid question. If a response is not posted within two hours, the question will be released so that another attorney may answer it. You will no longer be able to re-retain or answer that question. You can't retain more than 5 paid question at a time. By retaining a question you agree to accept the "
Limited Representation Agreement". Once you have typed the answer, click on the "Preview Answer" button and either click on "Edit Answer" to make more changes or on "Submit Answers" to submit the answer. The user will be notified via email of your answer. Before viewing the answer, the user must accept the Limited Representation Agreement. If the user is satisfied with the answer he/she will accept the answer and the attorney fees will be credited to you. The users may also post a follow up question in the event they need any clarification. If the user rejects the question, the user will be refunded the entire amount they paid.
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How do I connect my attorney account to my Facebook to automatically post the free questions I answer?
To activate this feature, follow these steps.
1.) Log in to your attorney account and access your control panel
2.) On the right hand sidebar, just above "Log Out", click the button that reads "Link to Facebook"
3.) A Facebook "Login" window will appear if you are not already signed into Facebook, enter your Facebook login information
4.) Click "Allow" on the LawGuru Answers Facebook application window. That's it!
Now you are linked to Facebook and the free questions you answer will be automatically posted to your Wall. You can unlink at any time through your LawGuru attorney control panel.
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