A Page on the Web, published in the Solicitors Journal, April 2000
There is a plethora of ‘umbrella’ websites aiming to service the general public seeking legal advice. Typically the commercial sites include a directory of solicitors and some basic information on legal rights. Solicitors pay to be listed in the hope that they will attract new clients. However, there is a wide variation in approach, in the comprehensiveness and detail of the databases and the quality of the advice provided.
There is not much in these sites which is not now provided by public service sites. The recently launched Just Ask! site of the Community Legal Service provides a quality-assured service with detailed information about the 15,000 firms and organisations listed (see picture), including email and web links. Though its Advice Search feature provides useful links to organisations meeting its Quality Mark standard, advice is not provided on its pages. In general the NACAB Adviceguide site will be a good complementary starting point for immediate help.
Below are listed some of these ‘umbrella’ advice sites (there must be many more in development) with a brief description of the databases and advice on offer and, where available, a quote taken from the site itself.
Adviceguide
From the National Association of Citizens Advice Bureaux, this site gives basic but clear advice and information on a wide range of personal rights.
Just Ask!
This is the website of the Community Legal Service. It includes a directory of over 15,000 solicitors, advice agencies and information providers searchable by specialism. Advice Search enables you to search across 300+ selected websites (meeting certain quality criteria) for information and advice on legal issues from Actions against the Police to Welfare Benefits.
Law on the Web
Includes a directory of ‘web-friendly’ legal specialists – both solicitors and barristers – searchable by region, specialism or name. Also includes reasonably detailed advice pages.
‘A free legal information website for individuals devised, built and maintained by a solicitor formerly in private practice in the UK.’
Law2u
Includes a database of lawyers searchable by specialism etc, plus databases of services for lawyers. There are no information pages.
‘The Law2u internet database provides extensive search criteria to facilitate the selection of a suitable firm of solicitors meeting your specific requirements. … assisting the general public and companies as well as connecting members of the legal profession.’
Law4Today
Includes a directory of lawyers browsable by specialism and town, with web and email links. There are detailed information pages covering standard legal situations. Other ‘zones’ include a Professional zone for lawyers; a Business zone covering legal issues relating to Business, a Students zone, a Buy (shopping) zone and Punch.
‘Law4today.com is a partnership of journalists, lawyers and publishers whose aim is to fill the increasing gap between understanding and applying your legal rights and the ability to access and pay for legal services.’
LawFree
This is a service from Lawyers Online (the URL takes you to their home page). Users fill in a form with their legal problem and the service provides free initial legal advice by return.
LawPage
Contains a database of solicitors searchable by name, address or specialism; also a database of ‘civic amenities’ addresses, including CABs, coroners, courts, police stations and prisons. There are no information pages, though there is a good set of links.
‘An easy to use service aimed at helping potential clients find your firm.’
LawRights
Provides reasonably detailed information on legal problems in a question and answer format. Provides a ‘document centre’ which enables a number of documents to be completed by the user online.
‘LawRights was formed to provide free, concise and independent legal information to both individuals and companies … since expanded to offer … the first complete online personalised document service in this jurisdiction.’
Legalhelp
[Offline at time of review]
LegalWeb2000
Currently in a pre-release version, this site includes a database of solicitors searchable by name and address. There are no information pages. There are ads for law booksellers and forms suppliers and the promise of a recruitment for (student jobseekers) to post their CVs.
‘Legalweb 2000.com is a legal website which provides daily legal news and information as well as a extremely powerful database and directory of all UK solicitors which can be accessed by the general public searching for a legal practice.’
local-legal
Includes a database of solicitors searchable by name, location or specialism. There is cursory information on some standard legal problems.
‘Local-legal.co.uk is aimed at assisting the general public to find a solicitor specialising in a particular area of law, and in a location convenient to his or her needs.’
