The internet has become the second most popular means of finding a solicitor for conveyancing or advising on a will, research seen exclusively by the Gazette has shown.

A YouGov poll of 2,266 people commissioned by online solicitor directory legallybetter.com revealed that personal recommendation remains by far the most favoured method of choosing a solicitor.

Some 61% of those questioned said they would use recommendations from friends, relatives or colleagues to instruct a firm.

However, the study indicated that the internet is playing an increasingly important role in assisting consumers to choose a law firm. Some 21% of those polled said they would use internet search engines such as Google to find a lawyer. A fifth said they would use websites with independent consumer ratings of law firms’ quality of services.

Nearly 10% said they would use specialist web directories of solicitors, and 4% said they would ask their contacts on social networking sites such as Facebook for a recommendation.

Just under 20% said they would turn to Citizens Advice Bureaux or other advice agencies to find a lawyer, while 16% said they would use the Yellow pages or another directory.

Only 3% of people said they would not use a solicitor to buy or sell property.

The survey found that men were slightly more likely than women to use the internet to find a solicitor, with 23% of men saying they would use a search engine, compared with 19% of women.

Some 65% of women said they would use a personal recommendation, compared with 57% of men.

David Mort, client marketing director at legallybetter.com, said: ‘Personal recommendation is still by far the most important method, and that’s not going to go away. But the internet will become more important, because you can shift personal recommendations on to the web.’

He added: ‘Women may be more willing to ask others for a recommendation, whereas some men may like to think they are more self-sufficient.’