One of the most interesting debates in the legal services concerns the suitability or not of offering legal services online. There is no doubt that the legal sector is one of the most reluctant to adapt to new technologies and there is a large group of users who has become accustomed to meeting their needs online. At present, the services available online are infinite, as we can rent homes to third parties or hire services to an independent professional. These users need online solutions in legal services too.
Social evolution and technological aspects such as internet have multiplied legal consequences of our actions and have increased the protection that the order grants to the individual. Simultaneously, we have lived a development of technological means that the state has created to control the citizens. This situation has made democratization of legal representation increasingly important. The use of a lawyer should be more accessible to a larger part of society. New technologies offer accessibility and flexibility, and allow reaching a greater number of users. If we apply it to the provision of legal services, the effect is the same.
Another issue of great interest is globalization, as this phenomenon has increased the legal needs of individuals and companies in places other than their place of residence. Managers and people need legal service experts in new or distant territories for them. Within a single city, congestion causes long journeys and consequent waste of time. The new technologies are essential instrument to solve that distance of travel and time connecting lawyers with clients.
The most common form of searching for lawyers or legal services is on recommendation of a friend or relative. This recommendation doesn’t guarantee lawyer’s competence or experience on client’s needs. Fortunately, internet search is growing as a means of finding the lawyers and legal services. The reviews of previous clients allow to know professional experiences dealt with lawyers and facilitate to a greater extent the adequacy of client’s need.
The critics of online legal services claim that personal contact and trust are the key factors in lawyer-client relationship. Having the right information about a lawyer improves relationship of trust. Online services can make this relationship more efficient, however, not all legal services can be offered online, especially when we have to go to court.
An element of great concern to a lawyer is late payment, which is very common in legal services, but the technology allows the creation of advanced collection systems to ensure timely payments. In short, it is now absolutely reliable to hire the legal services online.
