[1]E-commerce: clients increasingly want to deal with their lawyers online
A majority of consumers expect good law firms to offer their services online in the next couple of years, a survey of over 2,000 people has shown.
The online poll, carried out by YouGov on behalf of Epoq Legal, also revealed that nearly half (47%) of consumers would be more likely to choose a law firm that offered the convenience of online access to legal services and documents over one that had no online service capability.
Some 56% said they expected good law firms give customers the ability to use their services online in the next couple of years. Epoq [2]is a Legal Futures Associate.
Consumers see online services as a chance to reduce their legal fees. Over two fifths (43%) agreed that they would change law firms if an alternative firm offered a reduced fee in return for the consumer providing initial details about their matter online.
The research uncovered no significant differences in attitudes between age groups, with only the over 55s being less concerned with online service delivery. Slightly more men (50%) than women (45%) said they were more likely to choose a law firm which offered online services.
Grahame Cohen, CEO of Epoq Legal comments: “Our research has shown that more and more consumers are expecting legal services to be delivered online. As the Internet has become an ever increasingly popular way for both consumers and businesses to access and buy a range of goods and services, the legal profession is finding it too needs to address client demand for convenient and affordable services.
“Our DirectLaw product is helping law firms of all sizes do just that. It provides them with a cost-effective online capability, which allows them to offer their clients a convenient way of drafting legal documents online and at a fixed or reduced fee, whilst maintaining control of the final document execution.”