Virtual legal market place launched at lawjunction

Law firms will be able to quote for new work on-line following the launch this week of a virtual legal market place.Lawjunction.com has been billed by its promoters as covering all areas of law.

Prospective clients will be able to advertise their legal problems anonymously and free of charge.

Then the site will relay back to the client a selection of quotes from subscribing firms for initial advice, hourly charges and fixed fees.

The site has attempted to differentiate itself from firstlegaldirect.com - the legal market place launched in April (see [2000] Gazette, 20 April, 20) which targets the commercial end of the market - by attempting to cover a broader spectrum of legal fields.

The founders of lawjunction.com have backgrounds in law and commerce, with director Gudrun O'Leary formerly having worked in business.

'Our main aim is to benefit the consumer,' said spokesman Theo Huckle, a Cardiff-based practising barrister.

'As well as serving commercial clients, the site will appeal to the ordinary person with a legal dispute, who might find walking into a legal firm quite intimidating.'Mr Huckle said that more than 50 law firms subscribed before the site's launch, including two unnamed top-50 firms, with other leading firms showing interest.

Subscribing firms pay a basic rate of 500 a year for six general legal categories, and are charged 50 per additional area covered.

An administrative fee of 2 is charged to each firm whose quote is relayed via the site.

For information contact rol@lawjunction.com

Rowland Byass

Links www.lawjunction.com