There are many free legal advice services available online as well, but we strongly advise you to take all online advice with a grain of salt. The law varies from case to case, and those giving legal advice will often have differing opinions, and may not even be licensed to practice law.
The line between "Legal advice" and "Legal information" is often blurred. As a universal matter, only a legal expert may give actual Legal advice, whereas any non-legal expert may narrate Legal Information. Furthermore, it is generally illegal for a non-legal expert or unlicensed legal expert to offer legal advice or otherwise represent someone other than himself or herself in a court of Law.
From a legal stance, the giving of legal advice is tantamount to the practice of law, and only a licensed legal expert with whom one has formed a Legal Expert-Client association with may give actual legal advice. Because of the obligations that arise from the giving of such legal advice, the advice-giver is also bound to certain rights and responsibilities as a result of the information given.
Legal advice has the following characteristics:
- Requires Legal Knowledge, skill, education and judgment
- Applies specific law to a particular set of circumstances
- Affects someone's legal rights or responsibilities
- Creates rights and responsibilities in the advice-giver
Instances that Do Not Constitute Actual Legal Advice:
- Legal information obtained from free online legal websites, including a law firm or attorney's own website
- Advice from friends, family members, or former clients of a legal expert
- Information you hear on the radio
- Information you see in news periodicals or on billboards
- Responses to legal questions posted in online Q&A boards, even if provided by a licensed attorney
- Printed materials listed in a "how to" guide
- Legal "self-help" forms
Depending on the situation, legal advice and legal information can both be useful
