The services of the website are free to visitors but legal firms must pay a fee to be a referred service on the site. According to the website, all attorneys are screened to ensure that they "are licensed to practice law by the bar association from their state."
There has been some controversy over the website's advertising choices, including billboards, bus shelter signs and television ads.
Lawyers who have advertised on the site see this venue as a viable way to attract clientele and report an increase in calls inquiring as to their legal services, however some critics claim that online referral services ‘degrades the legal profession'.
Advertising for legal services is governed by the Florida Bar's advertising committee who are responsible for reviewing and monitoring advertisement from legal firms. According to Gary Lesser, Vice Chairman, advertisements by lawyers and legal professionals are required to submit their ads to the committee in advance of publication, but it is impossible to monitor all 87,000 bar members.
According to Curtis Wolf, founder of the website, the site's name is “definitely meant to be edgy." Wolfe admits it was the intent to "provoke people" because "most lawyer advertising is unremarkable and not memorable. I would sit at home and see these ads asking if you're injured, blah, blah, blah. There was no branding involved. We have a brand."
Curtis Wolfe, launched WhoCanISue.com in October 2008. Wolfe was previously employed as an in-house counsel for a Miami based law firm.
President Vincent Celentano, who helped finance the multimillion dollar start-up, predicts that the company will reach the $10 million plus mark in 2010.
