New legal platform allows users find and engage solicitors

A new platform that allows users to find a solicitor and conduct legal consultations online has been established.

VideoLaw.ie aims to streamline the often difficult process of finding the right legal advice or service.

The website, which can connect users to one of 400 Irish-based solicitors offering services in 70 areas of personal and business law, was inspired by the increasing use of online consultations in the medical sector, such as through VideoDoc.

Initial consultations on VideoLaw cost up to €150 (including VAT) depending on their duration. Following the initial contact, it is expected that the solicitor will engage the client in the normal way – if they decide to take them on.

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"When people are suddenly faced with the need for legal advice it can be very difficult to identify and then engage with the right adviser," said founder Oliver O'Shea, while noting that the term "solicitor" is included in an average of 405,000 Irish Google searches every month.

“For the client it can require browsing through multiple websites, searching for ‘our team/people’ links, reading individual solicitor profiles and then phoning the office to speak with the solicitor chosen,” he said.

“The focus is on making it easier for clients to find and engage a suitable solicitor to deal with their legal issue,” he said.

Search options

Users can find a solicitor in two ways. They can enter an Eircode or an address and select the relevant law area, in which case VideoLaw will display all solicitors offering that type of advice listed in order of closest proximity.

The client can then browse through these relevant solicitor profiles and click on “request a consultation” where applicable.

Alternatively the client can submit their matter to VideoLaw, which then sends it as a “client lead” to the 10 solicitors that most closely match the Eircode of the client. The site is also expected to be of interest to the Irish diaspora.

Mr O'Shea, who also operates the LawOnline platform, said VideoLaw is not a competitor of Zoom, Google Meet or similar services.

It is intended to facilitate only the initial consultation, which also just happens to be conducted by video, he said.

As the service is new to the market, it is currently free to participating solicitors. Mr O’Shea said this would remain the case until awareness of the service grows. “When subscriptions are turned on the intended fee is €15 per month per solicitor, with the ability to pause and restart the service at any time,” he said.