On-line divorce site helps clients browse lawyers list

Divorce Web site Divorce-Online is launching a subscription-based solicitor search engine on its site, offering customers access to what it hopes will be a comprehensive list of family law firms.For an annual fee of 150, family law firms will be able to be part of a searchable database on the site, enabling users to find a solicitor by postcode, town or region.

Mark Keenan, the Web site's operations director, maintained that the divorce service would be different from other subscription-based Internet law firm databases, many of which are thought to be struggling following the success of the Law Society's comprehensive and free Solicitors-Online site.'People who come to our site come for a specific reason, specifically to find advice on divorce,' he said.

'Therefore our database of firms will be tightly focused on the area of divorce alone.

Likewise, our Web site is the biggest of its kind in this country, and so firms will benefit from direct access to a core market.'Site users will have the option of having an appointment with their chosen firm made for them by Divorce-Online.

Mr Keenan added: 'For the client, it removes the hassle of booking an appointment at a certain time.

However, it also helps the law firm because we tell them exactly what it is the client wants to know, and so they know that they will be getting a quality referral.'The company hopes that the search engine will go live on the site by October.

Firms interested in being listed on the database should contact www.divorce-online.co.ukVictoria MacCallum