How verification works
Lexfora no longer uses a single “Verified” badge, because one tick cannot mean four different things. Here is what each state on a profile actually claims.
We verify information. We do not recommend attorneys.
A verified badge means we checked facts on a profile. It is not an endorsement, a rating, or a statement that one attorney is better than another. We are not paid to place any attorney in front of you, and we charge no referral fee — so nothing in what you see is bought.
The four states
| State | What it means |
|---|---|
| Listed | Lexfora created this profile from identified public sources. The attorney has done nothing. |
| License checked | We read the public bar record on a stated date and recorded what it said. |
| Claimed | The attorney proved the profile is theirs and controls its content. |
| Accepting inquiries | A claimed profile whose owner has agreed to receive requests through Lexfora. |
These are cumulative and independent. A profile can be licence-checked but unclaimed, or claimed but not accepting inquiries. Today, because Lexfora has no bar-record data source wired up, essentially every profile is Listed and nothing more — and it will say so rather than implying otherwise.
What we check
Bar record
We match the attorney to a bar number and the state that issued it, and record the date we checked.
Limit: We record what the bar roll said on that date. Licence status can change the next day, so treat it as of the date shown — not as live.
Identity
Tracked separately from the bar record: whether we have confirmed the person controlling the profile is the attorney named on it.
Limit: A profile can carry a checked bar record without a confirmed identity. The two are shown separately because they answer different questions.
Certified specialisation
Where an attorney claims to be a specialist, expert or board-certified, we record whether a recognised certifying body was confirmed, and which one.
Limit: Many states restrict specialist and expert claims to attorneys holding a recognised certification. We flag those words on unverified profiles for review rather than publishing them unchecked.
When it was checked
Every verified profile carries the date its checks were last run.
Limit: We do not re-check continuously. Always confirm current licence status with the state bar before you hire.
Listings and consent
Attorney-advertising rules differ by state. Before any profile is listed we apply that state's rules: where a state does not permit unclaimed third-party listings, the profile stays hidden until the attorney claims it. Where a state requires a disclaimer, we attach the one that state requires. Where we have no confirmed rule for a state, we default to requiring the attorney to opt in.
Any attorney can ask to be removed. If that is you, contact us and we will action it.
What we have not checked
- Disciplinary history. We do not currently review it — check your state bar directly.
- The quality or outcome of any attorney's work.
- Whether an attorney is the right fit for your matter. That judgement is yours.
Nothing on Lexfora is legal advice, and using Lexfora does not create an attorney-client relationship. If your matter has an urgent deadline, contact a licensed attorney, your local bar referral service, or a legal aid office directly.