Building a Probate Referral Network: A Solo Attorney's Playbook

Why Referrals Matter for Probate {#why-referrals-matter}

Probate cases don't come from Google ads or billboards. They come from relationships.

When someone dies, families don't search "probate attorney near me." They call someone they trust — a financial advisor, an estate planner, their accountant, the funeral home director — and ask, "What do we do now? Do you know someone who can help?"

The attorney who answers that question gets the case.

Building a referral network isn't optional for solo probate practitioners. It's the entire business development strategy. The good news: it's more predictable and sustainable than marketing to the general public.

The Math of Referrals

A single strong referral relationship can generate 2-4 cases per year. Build five of those relationships, and you have 10-20 probate cases annually.

At an average statutory fee of $13,000 per case, that's $130,000-$260,000 in revenue from relationships you cultivate over coffee and occasional emails.

No advertising budget required.

Primary Referral Sources {#primary-referral-sources}

Not all professionals refer probate work equally. Focus your networking energy on the highest-value sources.

Tier 1: Estate Planning Attorneys

Volume: High | Quality: High | Competition for relationships: High

Estate planning attorneys are the single best referral source. They draft wills and trusts for clients who eventually die. When that happens — especially when estate planning was incomplete or assets weren't properly funded into trusts — families need probate attorneys.

Tier 2: Financial Advisors and CPAs

Volume: Medium-High | Quality: High | Competition: Medium

Financial professionals know when clients pass away because they manage the accounts that need to be transferred. They're often the first call after death.

Tier 3: Funeral Homes

Volume: Medium | Quality: Varies | Competition: Low

Every death involves a funeral home. Families frequently ask directors for guidance on next steps. Some funeral homes maintain referral lists.

Tier 4: Senior Care Network

Volume: Lower | Quality: Good | Competition: Low

Elder law attorneys, senior care facilities, home care agencies, and geriatric care managers all work with families approaching end-of-life.

Estate Planning Attorneys {#estate-planning-attorneys}

Estate planners are your most valuable potential referral source. Here's how to build those relationships.

Why They Refer

Estate planning attorneys draft documents. They typically don't handle administration after death. When a client dies:

• If the trust was fully funded: successor trustee handles administration (may need attorney help)
• If assets weren't in trust: formal probate required
• If there was no trust at all: definitely probate

Estate planners want their clients' families well cared for, but probate isn't their focus. They're happy to refer to someone they trust.

Finding Estate Planners

Local bar associations: Estate planning and probate sections CLE events: Estate planning seminars (attend as probate specialist) LinkedIn: Search for estate planning attorneys in your county Google: "Estate planning attorney [your city]"

The Approach

Don't lead with "send me referrals." Lead with value.

Email template:

Hi [Name],

I'm a solo practitioner building a probate-focused practice in [County]. I've noticed your work in estate planning, and I'd love to learn more about your practice.

I've been developing systems to handle probate efficiently — guided workflows, deadline tracking, county-specific forms. I think there could be natural synergy: when your clients' families need probate help, I can ensure they're well taken care of while you maintain the estate planning relationship.

Would you be open to grabbing coffee sometime? I'd love to hear how you work with clients and see if there's an opportunity to collaborate.

Best, [Your name]

Key elements:

• Specific to them (their county, their practice area)
• Offers value (you'll take good care of their referrals)
• Low-pressure ask (coffee, not "refer clients to me")
• Professional but warm

The Coffee Meeting

Questions to ask:

• How long have you been practicing estate planning?
• What's your typical client profile?
• How do you currently handle referrals when clients need probate?
• What would make you comfortable referring probate work?

Information to share:

• Your background and why you chose probate
• Your approach to client service
• Your systems (shows you're organized)
• How you'd keep them informed about their referred clients

Don't do:

• Hard sell for referrals
• Criticize other attorneys
• Promise anything you can't deliver
• Talk more than you listen

Building Long-Term Relationships

After the initial meeting:

• Send a thank-you email
• Connect on LinkedIn
• Send occasional useful articles (not spam)
• Invite them to CLE events you're attending
• When you do get a referral, send a handwritten thank-you note

Financial Professionals {#financial-professionals}

CPAs, financial advisors, and wealth managers interact with clients throughout their lives — and know when those clients pass away.

Why They Refer

When a client dies, financial professionals face urgent questions:

• How do we handle the accounts?
• Who has authority to make decisions?
• What's the process for transferring assets?

They want a probate attorney they trust to guide families through the process.

Finding Financial Professionals

Professional associations:

• Local CPA society
• Financial Planning Association (FPA) chapters
• NAPFA (fee-only advisors)

Networking groups:

• BNI chapters
• Local chambers of commerce
• Professional networking events

Existing connections:

• Your own CPA/financial advisor
• Clients' CPAs/advisors (ask for introductions)

The Approach

Financial professionals are numbers-oriented. Lead with specifics:

Conversation starter: "I help families navigate California probate. The typical case involves $500,000-$1,000,000 in assets, takes 12-18 months, and the statutory fee is around $13,000-$23,000. When your clients' families are dealing with a death, I make sure the process is as smooth as possible so they can focus on grieving, not paperwork."

Value proposition:

• You handle the legal complexity so they can focus on their expertise
• You keep them informed so they know when accounts will be accessible
• You treat their clients like VIPs

CPAs vs. Financial Advisors

CPAs: More likely to refer after death (they're doing the final tax returns). Build relationships before tax season. Offer to answer probate questions when they're doing estate tax returns.

Financial advisors: May refer earlier (helping families anticipate needs). Talk about estate planning gaps you see in probate cases — they may identify similar gaps in current clients.

Funeral Homes {#funeral-homes}

Funeral homes see every death. Families in their most vulnerable moment often ask, "What do we do next?"

Why They Refer

Funeral directors are trusted by grieving families. They want to provide helpful resources, but they're not attorneys. Many maintain referral lists of estate planning and probate attorneys.

Approaching Funeral Homes

This is relationship-building at its most personal. Funeral directors are serving families during traumatic times. They don't want aggressive marketers.

The approach:

• Introduce yourself as a local probate attorney
• Offer to provide educational resources for families (simple checklist)
• Ask if they maintain a referral list
• Don't expect immediate results — this is a long game

Leave-behind materials:

• Simple "After a Loved One Passes: Legal Next Steps" guide
• Your contact information
• Not a sales pitch — genuine helpful information

Building Trust Over Time

• Follow up periodically (quarterly) with updated materials
• Offer to speak at funeral home educational events
• Remember: you're one of many attorneys asking for referrals. Consistency and professionalism win.

Senior Care Network {#senior-care-network}

The broader senior care network encounters families dealing with end-of-life issues.

Elder Law Attorneys

Elder law attorneys handle Medi-Cal planning, conservatorships, and other senior legal issues. When clients die, families often need probate help.

Relationship opportunity: They focus on pre-death planning; you focus on post-death administration. Natural complementary practices.

Senior Care Facilities

Assisted living and nursing homes have residents who pass away. Social workers and administrators often guide families toward resources.

Approach: Offer to provide educational seminars for families. "What to Expect After a Loved One Passes" — helpful content, not sales pitch.

Home Care Agencies

Families using in-home care are often dealing with end-of-life. Care coordinators can be referral sources.

Geriatric Care Managers

Professional care managers help families coordinate senior care. They build trusted relationships with families who eventually face probate.

Building Relationships {#building-relationships}

The common thread: don't ask for referrals. Build genuine relationships.

The Relationship-First Approach

Wrong approach: "Hi, I'm a probate attorney. I'd love it if you'd send me referrals."

Right approach: "Hi, I'm building a probate practice in [County]. I'd love to learn more about your work and see if there are ways we could collaborate."

Give Before You Get

Before asking for anything, offer value:

• Share useful articles or resources
• Make introductions to your network
• Offer to answer questions about probate
• Present at their professional events

Be Patient

Professional relationships take time. The estate planner you meet today may not have a referral for six months. Stay in touch. Be helpful. When the opportunity arises, you'll be top of mind.

Be Reliable

When you do get a referral, execute perfectly:

• Respond to the referral quickly (within 24 hours)
• Keep the referring professional informed (with client permission)
• Treat the referred client exceptionally well
• Send a thank-you note

One bad experience with a referral can end a relationship. One great experience can cement it for years.

Crafting Your Referral Pitch {#your-referral-pitch}

When someone asks "What do you do?", have a clear, memorable answer.

The Template

"I help California families navigate probate — the court process that happens when someone dies. Most of my clients come from [estate planners / financial advisors / etc.] who want to make sure their clients' families are well cared for after a death."

Key Elements

Specific: "California families" and "probate" — not "I do estate stuff" Value-oriented: "navigate" — you're a guide, not just a technician Referral-aware: "Most of my clients come from..." — signals you work with other professionals

Variations by Audience

To estate planners: "I handle the probate work when estate planning isn't complete — unfunded trusts, intestate estates, pour-over wills. I make sure your clients' families get the same level of care you provided during planning."

To financial advisors: "When your clients pass away and families need help with the legal process, I walk them through probate so you can focus on managing the assets. I keep you informed so you know when accounts will be accessible."

To funeral directors: "I help families with the legal next steps after a death. I try to make the process as painless as possible during an already difficult time."

Reciprocal Referrals {#reciprocal-referrals}

The best referral relationships are two-way.

What You Can Refer

To estate planners:

• Clients whose family members need estate planning after seeing probate
• Clients who need trust amendments or updates

To financial advisors:

• Beneficiaries who inherit money and need investment guidance
• Personal representatives who need help managing estate investments

To CPAs:

• Estate tax return preparation
• Final income tax returns
• Ongoing tax planning for beneficiaries

Making Introductions

When you refer, make it warm:

"I have a client who just inherited $500,000 and needs investment guidance. I thought of you immediately. Would it be okay if I shared your contact information?"

Then follow up with the professional after making the connection.

Staying Top of Mind {#staying-top-of-mind}

Building relationships is just the start. You need to stay top of mind so they think of you when referral opportunities arise.

Regular Touch Points

Monthly/Quarterly:

• Share a relevant article (something useful, not self-promotional)
• Comment on their LinkedIn posts
• Send a "thinking of you" email when you see news about them

Annually:

• Holiday card (stand out with a handwritten note)
• Birthday acknowledgment (LinkedIn makes this easy)
• Professional anniversary recognition

Content to Share

Not your own marketing — genuinely useful content:

• California probate law changes (like AB 2016)
• County procedural updates
• Relevant court decisions
• "10 things families should know about probate" (educational)

Events and Meetings

• Invite them to CLE events you're attending
• Schedule periodic catch-up coffees (2-3 times per year)
• Attend events where they'll be present

Tracking and Thanking {#tracking-and-thanking}

Track Your Referrals

Know where your cases come from:

• Referring professional's name
• Date referred
• Case value
• Outcome

This data shows you which relationships are productive and which need more cultivation.

Thank Referrers

Immediate: Send a thank-you email within 24 hours of receiving a referral After intake: Send a handwritten thank-you note After case closes: Send a final thank-you (gift card optional, but check ethics rules)

Keeping Referrers Informed

With client permission, provide periodic updates to referrers:

• "Case is proceeding well"
• "Inventory filed, on track for distribution in 6 months"
• "Case closed successfully"

Referrers want to know their referrals are being well cared for. This builds confidence for future referrals.

Building Your Network: The First 90 Days

Days 1-30: Identify and Research

• List 10 estate planning attorneys in your county
• List 5 CPAs/financial advisors in your network
• List 3 funeral homes nearby
• Research each professional (LinkedIn, website, news)

Days 31-60: Reach Out

• Send introduction emails to estate planners
• Request coffee meetings with 2-3 professionals per week
• Attend 1-2 networking events

Days 61-90: Follow Up and Nurture

• Follow up with all meeting contacts
• Send useful content to new connections
• Schedule second meetings with promising relationships
• Track all interactions in your CRM

Ongoing: Consistency Wins

Referral networks aren't built in 90 days — they're built over years. The attorneys who succeed at this are consistent, helpful, and patient. The referrals come to those who show up reliably.