How to report the unlawful practice of law

Before you report: gather your evidence

A good UPL report is specific. Investigators need names, dates, and proof. Collect the following before you file:

• The full business name, owner name, address, phone, and website.
• Screenshots of ads, websites, and social profiles claiming to offer legal services.
• Every receipt, invoice, contract, and payment confirmation.
• All text messages, emails, and voicemails referencing legal work.
• Copies of any documents they prepared or filed on your behalf.
• A short timeline: when you paid, what they promised, what happened.

Step 1 — Report to the state bar

Every state bar has a Unauthorized Practice of Law (UPL) committee that investigates non-lawyers holding themselves out as attorneys. Filing here triggers an investigation and, in most states, a cease-and-desist or referral for prosecution.

Search "[your state] bar unauthorized practice of law complaint" — the form is usually free and available online. You do not need to be a bar member to file.

Step 2 — Report to the state attorney general

Most state AG offices run a consumer protection division that prosecutes UPL as consumer fraud. This is the fastest path to restitution because AG offices can freeze assets and obtain refunds on behalf of victims.

Search "[your state] attorney general consumer complaint" and file under "legal services" or "notario fraud" where offered.

Step 3 — Report to federal agencies (immigration cases)

• FTC — reportfraud.ftc.gov. Federal consumer-fraud database used by prosecutors.
• USCIS — the tip line at uscis.gov/report-fraud takes reports on notarios and immigration consultants.
• EOIR — file a fraud complaint if the person appeared in immigration court on your behalf without a license.

Step 4 — Report to local law enforcement

UPL is a criminal offense (usually a misdemeanor, sometimes a felony) in every state. File a police report if you paid cash, if they threatened you, or if the amount is significant. The report number is useful evidence in the civil case.

Step 5 — Preserve your civil claim

Reporting shuts them down. A civil claim gets your money back. Most states let UPL victims recover a full refund plus statutory or punitive damages, and — where applicable — the cost of hiring a real attorney to fix the harm. Statutes of limitations are short (often 2–4 years) so don't wait.

Submit your case on this page and we'll match you with a partner attorney for a free confidential review. There's no cost unless there's a recovery.

What to expect after you report

• State bar UPL committees typically respond within 60–90 days.
• AG consumer-protection reviews can take 3–6 months.
• Federal reports rarely produce individual responses but feed enforcement priorities.
• A civil case moves on your timeline once an attorney takes it.