How Can I Found Out if Someone Is a Lawyer?

She may be lying about her profession.

Despite any lawyer jokes that might pop into your head when you hear the word, the legal profession is still regarded highly by most people. Unfortunately, this can lead people to lie about being a lawyer as a way to gain respect. This might be someone you met on an online dating site or it could be someone that you're considering hiring as a lawyer. Commercial find-a-lawyer websites allow a person to pay for advertising, but it doesn't necessarily mean that he is a real lawyer. It's still easy to determine if someone is a lawyer.

Instructions

1. Visit your state's bar association website.

2. Look for the link that allows you to search for lawyers. This is usually prominently displayed at the top of the website or in a sidebar. It might say something like "Find a Lawyer" or "Lawyer Search." Click on the link.

3. Enter the name of the person. If the form allows you to input other information, such as a city, it can help you to narrow your search.

4. View the results. If the person's name is listed in the results and it doesn't say "retired" or "disbarred" next to her name, then she is an active lawyer.

Tips & Warnings

• The state bar association websites will only show lawyers in that state. If the person recently moved, he may not yet be able to work in the current state, but the former state Bar Association website will show his status.

References

• The Missouri Bar: LawyerSearch FAQs

Resources

• American Bar Association: State and Local Bar Associations