An on-line service offering solicitors a barrister's legal opinion within 24 hours was launched this week with backing from two partners at London firm Howard Kennedy.

The Web site, LawOnOrder.co.uk, is supported by partners Raymond Bryk and Derek Bluston and offers an unattributed barrister's opinion delivered over the Internet for a set fee.


LawOnOrder: 24-hour response
Solicitors submit their question to the Web site in no more than 300 words, and receive a response via


e-mail within 24 hours. If solicitors then wish to instruct the author of the opinion, a further fee can be paid and the barrister's identity is revealed, with the two put in touch with each other.


LawOnOrder has negotiated the arrangement with one principal set of chambers, which it has declined to name. If the set is unable to deal with any requests, LawOnOrder will re-allocate the question to one of several other sets with which it has negotiated a similar deal.


Mr Bryk said: 'The service is mainly for solicitors looking for answers to simple questions, or in need of a bit of research - we will not be dealing with the public. It is a quick and cheap way for solicitors to obtain some guidance, or confirm what they thought they knew.


'We expected the service to be used mainly by sole practitioners but trials have shown it is used by City firms, smaller firms and in-house departments at local authorities.'