---
referrals: 2
kind: book
owner: law-firm-hb
updated: 2026-10-23
---

# Legal referrals

> When to use: Law firms refer matters to each other when a matter falls outside their practice, and write every fee arrangement down where the client sees it.
> Referral fees between lawyers are regulated in many places, and some places forbid them. Check the rules where you practice before you record a fee; this file records what was disclosed, it does not make any fee lawful.

## Parties

### law-firm-hb
- kind: org
- categories: construction-disputes
- areas: example-city

### intake-hb
- kind: agent
- for: law-firm-hb

### law-firm-qf
- kind: org
- categories: estate-planning

### law-firm-vr
- kind: org

### client-ic
- kind: person
- note: a small company's in-house counsel

## Haves

- disputes-hb by law-firm-hb: construction-disputes; tags liens, contract-review; area example-city; capacity 4; load 2; available yes
- estates-qf by law-firm-qf: estate-planning; tags trusts, business-succession; area example-city, remote; capacity 6; load 3; available yes
- employment-vr by law-firm-vr: employment-law; tags handbooks, disputes; area example-city; capacity 5; load 4; available limited

## Needs

### succession-ic
- by: client-ic
- category: estate-planning
- summary: a succession plan for the founders
- where: example-city
- requirements: business-succession
- privacy: private
- urgency: normal
- status: filled
- opened: 2026-09-14

### handbook-ic
- by: client-ic
- category: employment-law
- where: example-city
- requirements: handbooks
- privacy: limited
- status: matched
- opened: 2026-10-19

## Agents

- intake-hb for law-firm-hb: scope ask, accept; since 2026-02-01

## Connections

- law-firm-hb ~ client-ic: context client; since 2022-03-01; last 2026-10-19; interactions 30; initiated_by_a 12; initiated_by_b 18
- law-firm-hb ~ law-firm-qf: context partner; since 2015-09-01; last 2026-10-12; interactions 60; initiated_by_a 28; initiated_by_b 32; vouches estate-planning
- law-firm-hb ~ law-firm-vr: context colleague; since 2019-11-01; last 2026-07-30; interactions 14; initiated_by_a 6; initiated_by_b 8

## Referrals

### ref-succession-ic
- need: succession-ic
- have: estates-qf
- given_by: law-firm-hb
- why: category, business-succession
- disclosure: law-firm-hb and law-firm-qf share fees on referred matters, as agreed in writing
- fee: a share of the fee, disclosed to client-ic in writing before the intro
- consent: client-ic: the matter and identity; law-firm-qf: identity and contact
- status: closed
- ended: completed
- asked: 2026-09-14
- suggested: 2026-09-15
- consent_requested: 2026-09-15
- consent_given: 2026-09-16
- introduced: 2026-09-16
- responded: 2026-09-17
- started: 2026-09-20
- finished: 2026-10-14
- closed: 2026-10-16
- outcome: 4
- thanked: yes
- reported_to_referrer: yes

### ref-handbook-ic
- need: handbook-ic
- have: employment-vr
- given_by: law-firm-hb
- why: category, handbooks
- reply_by: 2026-10-26
- status: consent_requested
- asked: 2026-10-19
- suggested: 2026-10-20
- consent_requested: 2026-10-21

## Rules

- disclosure: required
- fees: allowed
- consent: double
- close_within: 14