Vetting a lawyer
Is My Lawyer Legit? 7 Ways to Verify
Last updated June 13, 2026
A 7-point checklist to confirm your lawyer is real, licensed, and trustworthy — using free official records. Each step links to the tool or record that proves it.
Check an attorney's record
Look up any attorney's license status and disciplinary standing against the official state roster — free, no account.
- Find them on the official state bar roster (by name or bar number).
- Confirm the license status is 'active.'
- Check disciplinary history (disbarred/suspended is public).
- Confirm they're admitted in your state.
- Match the bar number to the name.
- Look for real court activity in their claimed practice area.
- Get a written fee agreement and verify the firm's contact details independently.
Why a checklist beats a gut feeling
Most fake-lawyer and unauthorized-practice scams fall apart against one or two objective checks. The seven below are all free and most take minutes. Work down the list; any single failure (no findable license, a name/bar-number mismatch, refusal to put fees in writing) is reason to stop and dig deeper.
The seven checks in detail
- Roster: search the official state bar roster by name or bar number.
- Status: confirm it reads 'active,' not suspended, disbarred, or inactive.
- Discipline: read the disciplinary status of record — it's public.
- Jurisdiction: confirm they're admitted in the state your matter is in.
- Identity: match the bar number to the exact name and, ideally, the firm/city.
- Court activity: check whether they actually appear in cases (federal dockets list counsel by name).
- Paper trail: insist on a written engagement/fee agreement and verify the firm's phone and email independently — never trust contact details from a single unsolicited message.
If something doesn't add up
If you can't verify the license, the bar number doesn't match, or you're being pushed to pay by wire or gift card, stop. Contact the state licensing authority to confirm, and report suspected unauthorized practice of law to that authority. It's free, and it protects the next person too.
attorney records across 41 states are searchable on this site right now.
Source: official state bar registration rosters.
Frequently asked questions
What's the fastest single check?
Search the official bar roster by bar number. A clean name + bar-number + 'active' match clears the biggest risks in under a minute.
I found my lawyer but the status is 'inactive.' Is that bad?
Inactive is usually a voluntary non-practicing status, not discipline — but an inactive lawyer generally can't represent you. Ask them to confirm they're active in your state, and verify it on the roster.
Can I verify a lawyer I found through an online ad?
Yes, and you should. Run the same roster, status, and discipline checks regardless of how you found them. Verify the firm's contact details from an independent source, not just the ad.
Related guides
- How to Check If a Lawyer Is Legitimate
- How to Check If a Lawyer Is Licensed
- How to Verify an Attorney by State
Numbers on this page are computed from official rosters — see our data sources & methodology. This guide is part of the verify an attorney series.
This site republishes official public records and is not legal advice, a lawyer referral service, or a consumer reporting agency. Information here may not be used to make decisions about employment, tenancy, or credit (FCRA). Records are shown as published by their official sources and may contain errors or be out of date; consult the linked official source to verify. To correct or dispute a record, contact the licensing authority of record.