Finding a lawyer isn’t something most people look forward to. Usually, it means searching Google, looking through law firm websites, making phone calls and then explaining the same situation over and over again to different people.
Legal Locate is a new iPhone app that is trying to make that whole process a little easier.
Instead of searching for lawyers yourself, you post the details of your legal matter and let attorneys come to you. You can then look at the offers you receive and decide which attorney you want to contact.
At the moment, the service is focused on New York, with the company saying it plans to expand into other states.
So, is Legal Locate worth checking out?
What is Legal Locate?
Legal Locate is essentially a marketplace connecting people who need legal help with attorneys.
The idea is pretty straightforward. You describe your legal problem through the app, select the relevant area of law and provide the necessary details. Attorneys who are licensed in the relevant state can then review your case and submit an estimated offer.
You get to compare the responses before deciding who you want to work with.
According to Legal Locate, the service is free for both clients and attorneys, and attorneys don’t pay to access individual clients or cases. (Legal Locate)
That makes the concept quite interesting because it turns the traditional process around.
Rather than you chasing ten different law firms, you’re effectively putting your case in one place and allowing suitable attorneys to respond.
How does Legal Locate work?
The process is split into three main steps.
1. Post your case
First, you describe your legal matter in the app.
You’ll select the relevant practice area, jurisdiction and other details about your situation. Legal Locate says your identity remains protected while attorneys are reviewing your case.
This is probably one of the most appealing parts of the concept. If you’ve never needed a lawyer before, knowing exactly what information to provide can be difficult.
2. Attorneys review your case
Once your case has been posted, verified attorneys can review it and submit estimated offers.
Legal Locate says attorneys are verified against official state bar records before they can respond to cases.
The app currently covers a fairly wide range of legal areas, including family law, criminal defence, DUI/DWI, bankruptcy, immigration, personal injury, employment law, real estate, estate planning and civil litigation.
3. You choose the attorney
This is where Legal Locate differs from a traditional lawyer directory.
You’re not simply given a huge list of names and left to make dozens of phone calls.
Instead, you can compare the offers you’ve received, including information such as the attorney’s experience, estimated fee and approach.
You then decide who you want to contact.
Legal Locate also says that its estimated fees are non-binding. The final fee is agreed between you and the attorney in a written agreement.
What I like about Legal Locate
The biggest thing I like about the app is the simplicity of the idea.
Searching for professional services online can become surprisingly frustrating. You can spend a lot of time comparing websites without really knowing which lawyer is going to be suitable for your particular situation.
Legal Locate takes a different approach.
Post your problem once, see who is interested and compare your options.
That’s much easier to understand.
I also like that the platform says clients remain anonymous until they choose an attorney. For something as personal as a divorce, criminal matter, financial problem or employment dispute, that extra layer of privacy is important.
Another positive is that the platform doesn’t claim to pick the “best” lawyer for you. Legal Locate says it doesn’t rank or recommend attorneys. Instead, the client reviews the offers and makes the final decision.
I think that’s a sensible approach because the right lawyer for one person isn’t necessarily the right lawyer for someone else.
It’s free to use
Perhaps the biggest surprise is the price.
Legal Locate says the marketplace is free for both clients and verified attorneys.
The company also states that it doesn’t take a percentage of the legal fee if you choose an attorney through the platform.
Of course, “free” doesn’t mean the legal work itself is free. You’re still paying the attorney you eventually choose, and the final fee needs to be agreed directly with them.
But there is no charge simply for posting your case on Legal Locate.
Is Legal Locate available everywhere?
This is where you’ll need to pay attention.
The current App Store listing is specifically for New York lawyers, and the app is currently available on iPhone.
Legal Locate’s website indicates that the platform is expanding and that availability will depend on the state.
So if you’re outside New York, you may have to wait for the service to launch in your area.
The company also says Android is coming, although the current app is available through Apple’s App Store.
What about privacy?
This is probably the area where I’d encourage potential users to pay a little extra attention.
You’re potentially entering sensitive information about a legal problem, so it’s worth understanding how your information is handled before submitting anything.
Apple’s App Store privacy section says the developer has indicated that the app may collect information including contact details, user content, identifiers, usage data, location information, financial information and sensitive information. Apple also notes that these privacy disclosures are provided by the developer and haven’t been verified by Apple.
That doesn’t necessarily mean there’s a problem, but it’s something I’d personally check before submitting detailed information about a sensitive case.
It’s always worth reading the privacy policy and terms before using a service involving personal or legal information.
Is Legal Locate worth trying?
I think Legal Locate is an interesting idea, particularly for someone who has never hired a lawyer before.
The biggest advantage is that it could remove some of the legwork involved in finding legal representation. Instead of searching through countless law firm websites and making multiple calls, you can post your situation once and potentially receive offers from attorneys who are interested in taking the case.
I also like the fact that the decision remains with the user. Legal Locate isn’t supposed to tell you which lawyer you have to use. You compare the available options and make your own choice.
The main limitation right now is availability. This is a new service, and the current iOS app is focused on New York. There also aren’t enough App Store ratings yet to provide much of a long-term picture of how the service performs. At the time of writing, the App Store listing shows only a small number of ratings.
That means I’d consider Legal Locate more of an interesting new option to try than an established replacement for every other way of finding a lawyer.
What do we think?
Legal Locate has taken a process that can often feel complicated and intimidating and given it a much simpler structure.
Post your case → receive offers → compare your options → choose your attorney.
That’s easy to understand, and I can see why the approach could appeal to someone who doesn’t know where to begin when they suddenly need legal representation.
It’s still early days for the app, and its availability is currently limited, so we’ll have to see how the service develops as more attorneys and clients start using it.
For people in New York who need legal help, though, Legal Locate is certainly worth having on your radar.
Rating: 4/5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Legal Locate is a clever idea that could make finding legal representation considerably less stressful. It’s still a young service, but the concept is simple, the marketplace is free to use and putting the choice in the client’s hands is a big plus.
If Legal Locate expands successfully into more states and builds a larger network of attorneys, this could become a very useful app for people who suddenly find themselves needing legal help.
Legal Locate is available on App Store.
