How it works

Before you start: what this is

Chicago Legal Connections is an intake and attorney-connection service. We gather and organise the facts of a legal matter and, where appropriate, make them available to an independently licensed Illinois attorney who can consider whether to offer representation.

We are not a law firm. We do not give legal advice, we do not tell you whether you have a valid claim, and we do not tell you what a matter might be worth. Those are things only a licensed attorney reviewing your actual situation can do.

Step one — you tell us what happened

You can do this online or by telephone. Online, the intake adapts to the kind of matter you have: a work injury asks about your employer, your supervisor and your work restrictions; a fall asks about the hazard, the property and whether cameras covered the area. You are not asked forty questions on one screen.

Four things are genuinely required: a name, one working way to reach you, the kind of matter, and your own description of what happened. Everything else can be skipped. If you do not remember which hospital you were taken to, say so and move on — a half-remembered answer is worse than an honest blank.

You can stop at any point. Nothing is submitted until you choose to submit it.

Step two — the information is reviewed and organised

Our intake personnel read what you sent, put the dates and locations in order, note what documentation exists and what is missing, and flag anything that looks time-sensitive — an upcoming court date, an insurer who has already asked for a recorded statement, or video that may be overwritten within days.

We may call you to fill a gap. Those calls are to establish facts, not to advise you. If anyone from this service appears to be giving you legal advice, please tell us.

Step three — connection to an attorney

Where appropriate, your matter is offered to an attorney whose practice area and jurisdiction relate to it. Matters are offered one at a time, not broadcast to everybody, so that your account of your own injuries does not travel further than it needs to.

The attorney does not see everything at once, and that is deliberate

At first the attorney sees a summary with your identity removed — the type of matter, the county, when it happened, and the factual outline. That is enough for them to check for conflicts of interest and decide whether they can consider the matter at all.

Your name, your contact details, your description in your own words, and anything you uploaded are released only after that attorney has recorded the outcome of a conflict check and accepted the matter for review. Every release is logged, with who and when.

There are two reasons for this. An attorney has to check for conflicts before receiving confidential information about a prospective client — doing it the other way round is backwards. And your medical history should not be read by firms that were never going to take the matter.

Step four — the attorney decides, not us

The attorney independently decides whether to offer representation. If they do, they will contact you directly and explain their own terms and fees in writing. Any attorney-client relationship is between you and them.

If no participating attorney is able to assist, we will tell you. We will also point you to other options, including the Illinois State Bar Association's lawyer referral service and Illinois Legal Aid Online. We would rather tell you plainly than leave you waiting.

What this costs you

Nothing. Submitting an inquiry is free and does not obligate you to anything.

Attorneys who participate in this network pay a fixed participation fee. That fee is the same whether they accept your matter or decline it, whether a matter resolves well or badly, and regardless of what any matter is worth. We do not receive any share of any legal fee. We mention this because you are entitled to know how a service like this is paid for.

How long it takes

Most inquiries are reviewed within one business day. An urgent matter — a hearing this week, a recent arrest, video that may be about to disappear — is flagged and handled ahead of the queue.