How to check an Arizona attorney's licence

Anyone can call themselves a legal helper. Only some people are licensed to practise law in Arizona, and the difference matters enormously if something goes wrong with your case.

The good news is that the State Bar of Arizona publishes this information for free. You do not need anyone's permission to look, and you do not have to tell the attorney you are checking.

What you are looking for

• That the person exists in the Bar's records at all.
• That their licence status is active rather than suspended, retired or resigned.
• That the name matches the person you actually spoke with, not just the firm on the sign.
• Whether the Bar lists any public discipline history.

The steps

1. 1
   Open the State Bar of Arizona member directory. It is a public search page.
2. 2
   Search the attorney's full name. If all you have is a firm name, search that first and find the individual from there.
3. 3
   Open their member record and read the licence status line.
4. 4
   Look for a discipline or activity history section. The Bar publishes public discipline, and an empty history is itself useful information.
5. 5
   If you cannot find the person at all, stop there and ask them why before you pay anything or sign anything.

If the record shows discipline

Public discipline ranges from minor administrative matters to serious findings. Seeing an entry does not automatically mean you should walk away, but it does mean you get to ask about it directly. A straightforward attorney will answer the question.

If you cannot find them

Not being listed is the single most important warning sign on this page. Some people offering legal help in Arizona are not attorneys and are not permitted to advise you. If someone cannot show you a bar number that checks out, that is your answer.

You can check anyone, including anyone LegalNet introduces you to. We would rather you did.