How does online legal advice work?

These days, you no longer have to travel to an office to talk to a lawyer. Video consultations are common in almost all areas of law and are just as legally binding as a meeting in person. This article explains how online legal advice works on Rechtigo, what the platform does for you beforehand and what the lawyer takes on.

What online legal advice means

Online legal advice means that an admitted lawyer advises you without you being in the same room, usually by video, sometimes by phone or in writing. The same rules apply to the lawyer as in the office. They are bound by professional confidentiality, are liable for their advice and bill according to the same rules. An initial consultation by video may therefore also cost consumers no more than €190 plus VAT.

This is different from what a platform does. Rechtigo assigns your case to an area of law, reads your documents, shows deadlines and cost ranges for guidance and suggests suitable lawyers. That is preparation, not legal advice. Legal advice on an individual case is provided exclusively by the lawyer you choose.

How it works on Rechtigo

• Describe your case. You describe your problem in your own words and upload the documents, for example the notice of dismissal, the official notice or the contract. Rechtigo assigns the area of law, takes details such as the opposing party and the date of service from the documents and shows you the case roadmap with the deadline traffic light, cost range and a note on legal expenses insurance.
• Choose a lawyer. You see suggestions of verified lawyers, sorted by how well they match your case, reviews from real appointments and available appointments. Lawyers who offer video are labelled “Video appointment available”, so you are not limited to your own city.
• Book an appointment. You choose an available appointment and whether you want to talk by video or in person. Booking is free; you only store a payment method for the €10 no-show fee if you cancel less than 24 hours beforehand or don’t show up. The confirmation arrives by e-mail, and a reminder 24 hours before the appointment.
• Have the conversation. At the time of the appointment, you open the video room in your browser, on a computer, tablet or smartphone, without installing anything. The lawyer has read your description and documents beforehand, so the conversation starts straight away with your questions. Depending on the case, it lasts 15 to 45 minutes.
• After the conversation. At the end, you know what your chances are, which deadlines are running and whether representation is worthwhile. If the lawyer is to act for you, they request the power of attorney via your case file, and you sign it digitally. Everything else – messages, documents and the status of the case – then runs through the same case file.

What you should prepare

The real preparation has already been done with your case description. What’s left: find a quiet place where you can talk undisturbed, because confidential matters will be discussed. Upload any documents that occur to you later to the case file in advance; you will see there straight away that they have arrived and your lawyer has been notified. Note down your questions and what you want to achieve. Shortly before the appointment, check your camera, microphone and internet connection. If the lawyer is missing certain documents, they request them via a checklist in the case file, and you receive a message.

Confidentiality

Lawyers’ professional confidentiality applies online just as it does in the office. What matters is the route by which your documents reach the lawyer. E-mails are often unencrypted and end up in inboxes that several people read. On Rechtigo, documents and messages go through your case file. Access is limited to you, your lawyer and the staff in their office who work on your case file. If your lawyer works in a team with other lawyers, they may only work on the case file with your express consent; you give it when you sign the power of attorney and can withdraw it at any time in the case file. The video room is set up separately for each appointment.

Where the limits are

Not everything can be done online. Some declarations have to be notarised, such as a property purchase contract or a marriage contract. In certain proceedings you have to appear in court in person. With very extensive files, meeting in person may be simpler. In such cases, the lawyer will tell you in the video appointment how things will proceed; many lawyers on Rechtigo offer both, video and in-person appointments. For the vast majority of everyday matters, from a dismissal or a fine notice to a dispute with your landlord, a video consultation is enough.

When online advice is particularly worthwhile

• When deadlines are running and you need an appointment quickly: video appointments are easier to fit in, and the “Appointment within 48 hours” filter shows you who has time at short notice.
• When there is no lawyer in the right area of law near you: by video, every suitable lawyer in Germany is open to you.
• When you work and have no time for travelling and waiting rooms: you book online, including in the evening or at the weekend.
• When you have limited mobility or are abroad.

This article provides general information and does not replace advice on individual cases.

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