JwizBlog

LegalMatch is a big win-win for both consumers and attorneys. We help consumers find trustworthy, competent attorneys. We do complete background checks to ensure the attorneys actually have licenses to practice law and are in good standing with the relevant bar associations. We do qualitative interviews for over 2 hours. They must submit a resume which is evaluated by an expert committee (UC Berkeley Law grads and more) to qualify them for their declared legal specialty and expertise level.

Will the yellow pages do this for you? Your well-meaning friend who gives a word-of-mouth referral? The government?

No.

We do.

We also help solo and small firm attorneys market their practices more effectively - something they don't learn in law school.

In answer to these accusations and innuendo:

We indicate the number of consumers that have registered and posted cases on our website. The number of attorneys we have in our service is never listed. So how can we be accused of "overrepresenting?"

As for treating our employees fairly, it's in our best interests to do so and we absolutely do. We have grown from 3 people to 160+ in our 4 years so far. We will be much larger next year, and the year after that. Companies are not buildings or products, They are about people.

We are a huge success story amongst a lot of doom and gloom. We did it all the hard way without VC money or bank loans. If we don't deliver, and our customers are attorneys let's not forget, how do you explain our success?

Dear readers: Does this sound like a scam to you? Why not check us out for yourself and make up your own mind?

Here's hoping you never need an attorney, but if you do, you know where to turn to for help.

Thanks.

Paul Mush, VP Sales & Marketing, LegalMatch

I think LegalMatch's recruiting material speaks largely for itself:
http://www.craigslist.org/sls/19466366.html

Bombastic, disrespectful, sophomoric... and certainly not the words of a company I'd ever trust!

I have no experience with LegalMatch in any way, but the wording of their job posting is similar (though perhaps even more obnoxious) than Make Money Fast spams and Stuff Envelopes at Home type scams. I think that really says something.

That craigslist posting is now mirrored at http://blog.jwiz.org/mt/legalmatchmirror.html .

And, indeed, from what I've heard, they don't treat their employees very well. Well, maybe it's like any other high-pressure sales job (e.g. dating services), but I sure wouldn't want to work there.

I considered working there about 6 months ago. Interviewed, researched them out, attended training, the works. I decided that the 'sales' job was not for me, but I do think they have something great here. They attorneys are getting great results (I know one myself) and a lot of people I saw there were very happy with the company and their jobs. I can only speak for myself, but when I hear someone bitching about working for an honest company in an honestly difficult job, I think they are just full of it.

I came across this chat board looking for info regarding legalmatch as I’m considering joining the service. A fellow attorney who had great success through using the service, for the past two years, recommended Legalmatch service for increasing my practice’s profit and cliental base. I have to say that I recently have heard much positive feedback, both from attorneys and random people who used the service. It seems like Legalmatch is a great revolutionary concept. As a calculated move, I am going to give it a try after reading positive feedbacks on the web and taking several attorneys advices.

If you will check the LegalMatch management team page at their website, you will see that Paul Mush isn't any longer affiliated with the company. There is a posting at "fuckedcompany.com" by a person listing himself as Paul Mush that indicates that he was canned.

Just to let you know.

Actually Paul Mush wasn't canned but left the company due to poor management and a horribly shady CEO... Check out the info on LegalMatch and you'll see after Paul left the CEO Dmitris was indicted by the FBI and stepped down. This guy Paul Mush might be abrasive and in your face no BS, but he gets the job done. Funnily, Dmitris still seems to be running LegalMatch holding the strings of their new puppet CEO. Mr. Mush also was never actually employed by LegalMatch but contracted out through his company, Sales Team 1.

I see Paul Mush is posting his own messages now. I was there at LegalMatch when Paul was and more recently. When Paul Mush was canned, we were surprised it took so long (yes he was fired). He is a no BS guy, but is also crazy. When he was canned he started a crusade against the company and especially Dmitry who let him go. He called all of us telling us to leave and come work for him. He said that he will bring Dmitry and LegalMatch down at all costs and that he is working with the FBI to do so. I guess the lesson here is that whatever you do, don't deal with Paul Mush or expect the same insane attacks he is now throwing at LegalMatch.

A company that lies and commits fraud like LegalMatch is really no different than Enron or Tyco; and top brass should suffer the same fate...Here management wasn't planning 10 million dollar birthday parties, but almost did worse by screwing good people trying to make a difference in the world...they lie and encourage subscription reps to BS honest lawyers who are looking to market their practices. By using the "best interests of the public" as a guise...they try to BS any lawyer who'll listen to their "interview" process = their model of a consultative sales meeting...the "allocation" system they use is a another lie to sell attorney's on forecasted returns...it could be put together by a fifth grader, (in fact reps are encouraged to use it "only as a rough model" aka meaning lawyers with 30 years experience can pay 25K for a 3 years subscription to recieve inquires on cases that would make them very little money...the systems doesnt work for 70-80% of subscribers..they'll basically sign up anyone just to gain the $$...literaly almost everything about the company is a lie...including their labor and tax practices...i wonder if someone should send the irs a tip??

Hey 'Jack'. You are so bitter. Instead of being an informer or a tipper go get a life. You might enjoy it, you know?!

OK I'm going to go get a life now, and let you know how I enjoy it...you loser...i wonder if you work for legalmatch, slimebag ??

Only someone who worked at Legalmatch would object to "an informer or tipper"...I guess that person feels Legalmatch has the right to rip off taxpayers, employees, and the lawyers who spend their hard earned $$ on their service...I guess all that $$ should go right in your pocket, right big guy?

In reading the various sites, articles, blogs and posting of Legalmatch, there seems to be a controversy in how this service works for attorneys, consumers and employees. Firstly, attorney 'good 'ol boy' networks have ripped off countless clients with over charges, double billings and even practicing areas of law they have no experience in to pay their bills. Balking at $$ because their background is checked, they have to endure an 'interview' (like all us other working class for each job we take) and screened, gets no sympathy here. We all pay to play in whatever profession we pick: advertising, networking, etc. The time has come to pay your dues 'privaleged class'. No more easy pickins on the little guys. Ironically, most of the discussions omit the 'clients' which these lawyers supposedly serve. These are the real victims here. They have an issue that needs a remedy, and all everyone talks about is $$. What about the murder victim, car accident, family of 3 single mother divorcee, discriminated employee? Oh sure, the lawyer will take their case because of the $$, assets. One case seems to cover a supposed exorbant fee. Yeah, these lawyers have our best interest at heart: our bank accounts and theirs. They'd as surly settle a case to fund another, bigger one faster than the court documents dry or a stenographer types. Their profession is the 'chop-shop' of lives, and yet they garner sympathy? Please, give me a break. Upside down world, logic. As for employees, that is the simplist; although categorized with the clients in this soap opera, it comes down to basic business: some will, some won't, so what. Pick any profession; hey a lawyer for example - he doesn't do the job well - you're going to keep him? A real estate agent - keeps showing you the wrong properties - you're goin gto retain them? A stockbroker - invests in bad instruments - you're going to give him your kid's trust fund? Sales are sales. Don't like it; don't do it. Pretty simple. If you don't get the point, you're a lawyer trying to perpetuate the game/myth you have had for the centuries: you've setup the game, the rules, participants, language, formalities, can change the rules, etc.

Bottom line lawyers: you get out what you put into something. There is a paradyme shift occuring, and whether you like it or not, the Internet is the backbone of it. People are becoming empowered to make their own decisions, researching and scrutinizing services.....lawyers included. This Legalmatch service is doing what the lawyers could never organize themselves; they designed a system where the client comes first...end of story. Do you have a plan for the Internet in your practice? Well.......we're out here.....how are you gonna get us? Some flashing, obnoxious website where you tout yourself like a late night evangelist? Lawyers, Welcome to the real world.

It's funny how all the random comments are made to look like they were made by "just some person who likes legalmatch".

All I can say is that I heard that all the "prequalification" that was required for a lawyer to become part of the system was for that lawyer to pay to become part of the system.

From what I've heard, the advertising practices (and indeed, the sales techniques used with laywers) were not exactly what you would call "honest".

Paul Mush at Legal Match was a complete Scam Artist. He trained his sales team on how to rip-off attorneys that were struggling in their practice.

His sales tactics are identical to what was displayed in the movie Boiler Room...

Conning, Harry, the poor family man into a scam investment.

Paul Mush at Legal Match was a complete Scam Artist. He trained his sales team on how to rip-off attorneys that were struggling in their practice.

His sales tactics are identical to what was displayed in the movie Boiler Room...

Conning, Harry, the poor family man into a scam investment.

LOL! This is the REAL Jason Hudgins. Who is still with LegalMatch (and very happily so).

Whoever is impersonating me... Don't be a coward. Use your own name.

The domain name that is on the email address of the first "Jason Hudgins" post is 'incantations.net'.

A quick whois on that domain name shows that it is registered to "Jason Hudgins". I suppose someone could have known that domain belonged to "you", and used that email address to add verisimilitude to their "forged" posting.

But, I am just as happy to believe that someone from LegalMatch is the actual impersonator.

I'm the REAL Jason L. Hudgins at thanatos@incantations.net. I don't know anything about "legalmatch" or "Paul Mush", but I have been made aware that someone is using my email (because if you do a search on Jason Hudgins, you'll get that email) in an attempt to pose as some other "Jason Hudgins" that works at legalmatch. Pls disregard any post that bears this email (other than this one). I frankly have no interest in this subject other than someone is using my email address in a fradulent manner and I'd like them to stop.