FakeLawyerReport

Reporting guide

How to file a state bar complaint

Whether your lawyer let you down or the 'lawyer' was never licensed, here's how to file a complaint that gets taken seriously.

Reviewed October 2026 by the FakeLawyerReport editorial team

Two kinds of complaints

  • Against a licensed lawyer — misconduct such as dishonesty, taking fees without doing the work, or mishandling client money goes to the state's attorney discipline office.
  • Against a non-lawyer — someone giving legal advice without a license is impersonating a lawyer or practicing law without a license. Many bars or courts have a separate unauthorized-practice unit, and the attorney general often takes these reports too.

Step by step

  1. Confirm who you're complaining about. Look the person up in the state's official attorney directory to see whether they are licensed, suspended, disbarred, or not a lawyer at all.
  2. Gather your evidence. Collect contracts, receipts, texts, emails, business cards, ads, and a dated timeline of what happened.
  3. Choose the right office. Complaints about licensed lawyers go to attorney discipline. Complaints about non-lawyers usually go to the bar's or court's unauthorized-practice unit, the attorney general, or both.
  4. Write a clear, factual complaint. Describe what was promised, what was done, what you paid, and the harm caused. Stick to facts and attach copies, not originals.
  5. Submit and keep copies. File through the official online form or by mail, and keep a copy of everything you send plus any confirmation number.
  6. Protect your own deadlines. A bar complaint does not pause court deadlines or get your money back by itself. Get an independent legal review of your options.

What to include

  • Your name and contact details.
  • The person's name, business name, address, and any bar number they gave.
  • Dates, amounts paid, and how you paid.
  • What they said they were and what they did for you.
  • Copies of documents, ads, and messages.

What happens next

Processes differ by state. Typically the office reviews the complaint, may ask the person to respond, and decides whether to investigate, refer it, or close it. Investigations can take months. Discipline or enforcement does not automatically refund your money, so a separate legal review may matter.

Official links by state

Use the official lawyer lookup to verify a license, and the attorney general for consumer complaints.

For more on gathering evidence, see the reporting guide.

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