MEMBERSHIP
Commit to Service in
the Lawyer Referral and Information Service Program ___________________________________________________________________________ You Can Make an Impact as an LRIS Member .
FATIMA HARRIS-FELTON The Harris Law Firm LLC theharrislawfirm @ gmail . com
PHOTO CREDIT : PIXABAY
"
We hung out on a boat for months bored out of our minds . A torpedo came and next thing I knew we were all in the water . Most of us died .”
This is how my beloved uncle summed up his war service in the Pacific during World War II .
Today , your service is needed as a member of the Atlanta Bar Association ’ s Lawyer Referral & Information Service ( LRIS ), especially for our reduced fee program : Modest Means . Thankfully , no torpedoes will go sailing beneath your feet when you join LRIS .
LRIS receives approximately 4,215 calls per month from potential clients seeking legal representation . You can choose the practice areas you prefer to receive referrals . You can charge your regular fee . Furthermore , the potential clients that call LRIS have diverse issues . Many are referred from an attorney ’ s office . Potential clients also find LRIS through Google and other advertising campaigns . Most importantly , you will get the opportunity to serve someone in unexpected ways .
Currently , I am the LRIS Board of Trustees Vice Chair , however my beginnings with LRIS were simple . I was drafting a client ' s will my first year as a LRIS panel member in 2007 . The client had a wide smile that filled her round face - her happiness was contagious . I still remember my cheeks hurting from smiling after our initial meeting as her hearty laughter and joy filled the sterile office space . She paid the required fee , then about three months afterwards , I was paid in biblical tracks and hand-written thank you cards . Her gratefulness at something I viewed as routine as a will write up was surprising and heartwarming . This woman and her gift of happiness stuck with me all these years .
This discussion of service would be remiss without mentioning that my heart goes out to all the victims of war , particularly the current conflict in Ukraine . I know veterans and war survivors ’ version of service is quite different than the one you are being asked to do as a panel member for LRIS . However , if joining LRIS is the type of “ service ” that you can accomplish , join LRIS today . Give a client a new beginning .
To join , go to atlantabar . org . Click Lawyer Referral tab , then click LRIS Membership Application under the Quick Links on the righthand side .
34 August / September 2022