How Lawyers Get Referrals Without Advertising (The Ethical Way)

The best lawyers never advertise.

Their referral network does it for them.

You’ve seen it. The lawyers who seem to have an endless stream of good clients - the kind who pay on time, follow your advice, and refer others. They’re not running ads. They’re not speaking at every CLE event. They’re not cold-calling anyone.

They have relationships with the right people. And those relationships generate business, automatically, year after year.

This post is about how to build those relationships without violating ethical rules or feeling like a salesperson.

The Lawyer’s Visibility Problem

Here’s the uncomfortable truth about legal services: your clients don’t need you very often.

Estate planning? Maybe once every 5-10 years, with occasional updates.

Business formation? Once per business.

Real estate transactions? A few times in a lifetime.

Even busy practice areas like family law are episodic. A client goes through a divorce, you help them through it, and hopefully you never see them again (at least not for that reason).

This creates a visibility problem. When someone needs a lawyer, they don’t think “let me call that lawyer I used eight years ago.” They think “let me ask my accountant/financial advisor/friend who they’d recommend.”

If you’re not top of mind with those referral sources, you’re invisible when the opportunity arises.

“Clients don’t need lawyers often. But when they do, they ask the people they trust. Be top of mind with those people.”

Why Lawyer-to-Lawyer Referrals Are Underrated

Before we talk about building relationships with accountants and financial advisors, let’s talk about the most overlooked referral source: other lawyers.

Practice areas don’t overlap as much as you’d think. The family lawyer has clients who need estate planning. The estate planning lawyer has clients who need business law. The business lawyer has clients who need employment law.

Every lawyer has clients who need services outside their practice area. The question is: who do they refer those clients to?

If you build strong relationships with lawyers in complementary practice areas, you’ll get a steady stream of referrals from people who already understand your value. They’ve seen good lawyers and bad lawyers. They know the difference. Their referrals come pre-qualified and pre-trusted.

Sarah Martinez

Marketing Consultant

Martinez Marketing Group

Vancouver, BC

Fictional character for illustrative purposes

“I work with a lot of small business owners,” Sarah explains, “and they’re constantly asking me for lawyer recommendations. Employment issues, contract disputes, trademark questions. When I have a lawyer I trust, I refer them constantly. The problem is most lawyers disappear after the initial transaction. I don’t know if they’re still practicing, if they’re taking new clients, or if they’re even good anymore. The lawyers who stay visible? They get all my referrals.”

The Five Power Partners for Lawyers

Build relationships with these professionals and you’ll never worry about where your next client is coming from:

1. Accountants (CPAs)

Accountants see everything - business decisions, family situations, estate planning needs, tax problems. They’re often the first to know when a client needs legal help.

What you refer to them: Clients who need tax strategy, business accounting, bookkeeping, financial planning.

What they refer to you: Clients who need business formation, estate planning, tax controversy representation, contract review.

2. Financial Advisors

Financial advisors handle money. You handle the legal structures that protect and transfer that money.

What you refer to them: Clients who need retirement planning, investment management, insurance products.

What they refer to you: Estate planning, business succession, divorce cases (where assets need protecting).

3. Real Estate Agents

Every real estate transaction needs a lawyer. But most agents have a go-to attorney they use for every deal.

What you refer to them: Anyone you know who’s buying or selling property.

What they refer to you: Closings, title issues, investment property structures, landlord-tenant disputes.

4. HR Consultants

Small and mid-size businesses often use HR consultants for personnel issues. When those issues become legal issues, who do they call?

What you refer to them: Clients who need HR support, employee handbook development, compliance help.

What they refer to you: Employment disputes, wrongful termination defense, harassment claims, employment contracts.

5. Insurance Agents

Insurance agents see risk. You help manage risk. Natural partners.

What you refer to them: Clients who need business insurance, life insurance, professional liability coverage.

What they refer to you: Claims that become litigation, business protection planning, estate planning.

“The lawyer who waits for the phone to ring will always be at the mercy of chance. The lawyer who builds relationships controls their pipeline.”

Building Trust Without Feeling Sleazy

Here’s where most lawyers fail: they treat referral relationships like transactions.

“I’ll refer you clients if you refer me clients.”

That’s not a relationship. That’s a quid pro quo. And it feels gross to everyone involved.

The lawyers who build great referral networks think differently. They focus on being genuinely helpful, not on keeping score.

First meetings: Learn about their practice. Understand their ideal client. Ask how you can help them. Don’t pitch yourself.

Following up: Share useful information. An article relevant to their practice. A potential client who’s a better fit for them than for you. Something that helps them with no expectation of return.

Staying visible: Weekly updates about what you’re working on, what kind of clients you’re helping. Not asking for referrals - just staying on their radar.

When you give first and give often, referrals come back naturally. People want to help people who help them.

Tom Marino

Accountant (CPA)

Marino & Associates Accounting

Coquitlam, BC

Fictional character for illustrative purposes

“I have three lawyers I regularly refer clients to,” Tom says. “Estate planning, business law, and family law. You know what they all have in common? They helped me first. One reviewed a contract for me for free when I was just starting out. One referred me a great client before I’d ever sent them anyone. One just consistently shares useful tax updates with me, no ask attached. When my clients need a lawyer, those are the people I think of.”

Ethical Considerations

Let’s address the elephant in the room: referral fees.

Rules vary by jurisdiction, but most bar associations allow referral fees between lawyers under certain conditions (client consent, proportional to work performed, etc.). Referral fees to non-lawyers are more restricted.

But here’s the thing: the best referral relationships don’t involve money.

When you build genuine relationships with accountants, financial advisors, and other professionals, they refer clients because they trust you - not because you’re paying them. And those referrals are more valuable because they come with trust already built in.

Focus on building relationships, not compensating for referrals. It’s simpler, it’s cleaner, and it works better.

The 60-Second Weekly Update

You’re busy. Between client work, court appearances, and managing your practice, you don’t have time for endless networking events.

But you can record a 60-second video once a week.

What to share:

• A quick legal tip relevant to your referral partners’ clients
• What kind of cases you’re working on (without client details)
• What kind of new clients you’re looking for right now
• Something useful you learned this week

When to record:

• Monday morning, before you check email
• Friday afternoon, before the weekend
• Sunday evening, during weekly planning

Pick a time and stick to it. Make it a habit.

Linda Morales

Mortgage Broker

Morales Mortgage Solutions

Richmond, BC

Fictional character for illustrative purposes

“I work with a real estate lawyer who sends me a 60-second update every Monday,” Linda shares. “He shares a quick tip about closings, mentions what he’s working on, sometimes asks if I have questions about anything. Takes me 90 seconds to watch. But every Monday morning, I see his face and remember what he does. When a client asks if I know a good real estate lawyer - and they do, constantly - he’s the first person I think of.”

“Sixty seconds a week keeps you visible. Visibility keeps you top of mind. Top of mind keeps you busy.”

From Waiting for the Phone to Ring

The lawyers who struggle are always waiting. Waiting for the phone to ring. Waiting for someone to walk in. Waiting for a referral to appear out of nowhere.

The lawyers who thrive don’t wait. They build relationships systematically. They stay visible consistently. They give first and give often.

Three months of consistent relationship-building. That’s all it takes to go from “hoping for referrals” to “managing a pipeline of introductions.”

Ready to Build Your Referral Network?

We built Rhythm of Business for lawyers who want referrals without the networking grind. Our platform matches you with accountants, financial advisors, and other professionals in your local area who serve the same clients you do.

Weekly video stories keep you visible. Industry exclusivity means you’re the only lawyer in your practice area in your group - no competing with other attorneys for the same referrals.

Build relationships that generate business for years.

Related Reading

• The Accountant’s Guide to Referral Partnerships - How accountants think about lawyer referrals
• What Is a Power Partner? (And How to Find Yours) - Deep dive into strategic professional partnerships
• Why “Asking for Referrals” Doesn’t Work - The mindset shift that changes everything