Online legal advice sometimes lacks compelling evidence
Expensive extra charges, work cautions, car crashes - there are numerous scenarios where one could benefit from legal guidance. What's the purpose of online legal advice portals in such instances?
Prompt, personalized, simple, and accessible 24/7, that's what online legal advice portals boast. The magazine "Finanztest" (Issue 7/2024) verified this through classic cases. The conclusion: While the legal advice is typically quick and convenient, it isn't always top-notch. Ultimately, the quality depends on the individual attorney offering the advice.
Seven portals were assessed, with five scenarios sent online each, including "AnwaltOnline", "Ask a Lawyer", "Juraforum", "JustAnswer", "YourXpert", "Advofleet /Lawyer24", and "Law 24/7". No provider impressed the testers in every scenario, with some not impressing even once. In the test, no provider consistently provided excellent answers. The advice quality varied from exceptional to far from acceptable. The cost was usually between 80 and 120 Euro, with 290 Euro being the most expensive consultation in the test.
Sought-After Guidance Seek
According to "Finanztest", it's not feasible to give a general answer as to whether an online consultation or a face-to-face conversation on-site is better. However, the experts offer tips on how to find affordable answers for individual questions and what to keep in mind when looking for a specific attorney:
- Attempt to find out online if there are fundamental rules or recent court decisions regarding your issue.
- Based on the area, tenant associations, consumer centers, unions, mediation offices, or automobile clubs may be able to assist.
- The titles "Specialized Lawyer" or "Certified Specialist" may only be used by lawyers who have demonstrable experience and have passed an examination in the respective field. In contrast, "area of interest" only means that one is interested in the field.
- Lawyers who have been elected to the board of a bar association or one of the working groups at the German Bar Association (DAV) are considered competent by their colleagues and peers.
- Ask the attorney you've chosen directly if they have been successful in similar cases and have obtained judgments.
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Legal advisors might suggest consulting consumer centers or specialized lawyer associations for legal guidance, especially in situations where online legal advice portals fail to deliver satisfactory results due to legal issues related to their area of expertise. The financial test conducted by Stiftung Warentest revealed that while online legal advice platforms offer quick and convenient solutions, their quality often varies significantly and can be far from acceptable, leading consumers to seek alternative sources for legal assistance. In such cases, it's essential to consider an attorney's credentials, success rate, and previous judgments before selecting them for legal advice. Advisor recommendations, professional affiliations, and expert opinions can also provide valuable insights to help consumers make informed decisions when dealing with legal matters.
