Best Era Facilitates 448 Lawyer Referrals Across 49 States
News related to:Best Era · 2 min read
Best Era, a law firm consulting firm based in West Hartford, Connecticut, has reported a significant milestone in its community-driven lawyer referral network. Between June 2024 and October 15, 2026, the network facilitated 448 lawyer referrals across 49 states, including Puerto Rico, Guam, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. North Dakota is the only state that has not yet received a request.
The network operates through a private Slack community called the Best Era Community, which serves as a platform for lawyers, law firm owners, and legal professionals to connect and collaborate. The community's #referrals channel is where members post cases they need to refer out or seek help in another state. Other members then provide names they trust, ensuring that the process remains transparent and free of fees.
According to the data, the typical first reply in the #referrals channel is just 12 minutes. Among answered requests, 46% received a response within 15 minutes, 58% within an hour, and 82% within a day. This rapid response time underscores the efficiency and effectiveness of the network, which has seen a steady growth in volume. The number of requests increased from about 6 per month in 2024 to 15 in 2025 and 24 in 2026.
The most requested practice areas were personal injury (68), trusts, estates, and probate (50), civil and business litigation (45), employment (41), real estate and landlord-tenant (38), and family law (30). Notably, more than three out of four requests that named a state were for a state outside Connecticut, highlighting the network's reach and utility for lawyers practicing in different regions.
Ryan McKeen, co-founder of Best Era, emphasized the importance of the referral network for small firms.
Best Era's commitment to its community is evident in its business model. The firm does not take or charge a fee on any referral made in the community. Any fee arrangement between the referring and receiving lawyers is set according to the Rules of Professional Conduct in their state, such as Rule 1.5(e) on dividing fees.
Founded in 2024 by Ryan McKeen, Allison McKeen, Brittany Green, and Marisa Rua, Best Era provides bespoke business strategy for law firms, attorneys, and legal companies, covering marketing, operations, finance, hiring, intake, and technology. The firm also hosts the AI ERA 2.0 and AI PARA ERA conferences, further cementing its role in the legal technology landscape.
The community's success is a testament to the collaborative spirit among legal professionals. "When our members win, so do we," McKeen added.