Tapping lawyers on demand

Credit to Author: MAAN D’ASIS PAMARAN| Date: Sat, 29 Dec 2018 16:15:41 +0000

More Filipinos can now have access to legal means online

There are many barriers to seeking legal help, one of which is even though there are many bar exam passers every year, there is not enough access to lawyers.

Former solicitor general and senatorial candidate Florin “Pilo” Hilbay explains that Filipinos find it hard to consult a lawyer because they don’t know who to go to. “First, people don’t know who to turn to. They don’t have confidence in lawyers. Another factor is legal services are expensive. They don’t want to go to a lawyer because they feel that it will cost them a lot of money. This prevents many Filipinos from having real access to justice.”

Hilbay was a guest at the launch of a tech solution that can offer Filipinos more access to legal services, even if they are overseas. LexMeet is an app that can be downloaded for users to find the best lawyer for their specific legal questions and situations, at a fixed rate.

LexMeet President/founder Atty. Marlon Valderama and former solicitor general – Atty. Florin ‘Pilo’ Hilbay.

‘Uber for lawyers’

LexMeet founder Atty. Marlon Valderama, who is the managing Partner of Valderama Law Office, calls it the “Uber for lawyers”. The premise is much like the crowdsourcing apps many Filipinos are already familiar with. After the client registers their personal details for free, they can purchase credits — for as low as P500 — via Paypal, Dragonpay, Coins.Ph and later on Google Pay payment gateways. Clients will then have to submit advance their legal inquiries and provide their stories, objectives and questions as well as supporting documents through LexMeet sign-up forms.

Then they can initiate a legal consultation request where LexMeet will match their legal problem with a lawyer specialists that meet their requirements. In this sense, it is akin to a dating app as well, since the specific legal issue is matched with an attorney who has expertise on the matter — when a client submits a legal problem about the title of a condominium unit, LexMeet gives a lawyers list with specialization in Condominium Law.

All consultations are conducted over video or voice call, and their credits are automatically paid to their matched lawyer after the meeting ends. Ratings and feedback mechanism help ensure that LexMeet’s crowdsourced network of 250 lawyers provide quality consults, which seems to be the case as it boasts over 7,500 clients and counting.

More services in the works

Valderama says that in the future, LexMeet can also enable users to find the nearest Notary Public. “There are times when you are already at a government office, for example, and need to have a document notarized. You don’t know where to go, so you can just check the LexMeet app to find the notary public office nearest you,” he explains.

There are also plans to put up a document assembly function, where a client can simply input the information needed and the app will be able to create the legal document, such as an affidavit of loss, for them. “Then you go and find the nearest Notary Public through the app,” Valderrama adds.

For OFWs, SMEs and even foreigners

Valderama, who is one of the lawyers on the LexMeet app, says that a lot of his clients are Overseas Filipino workers (OFWs), who need assistance on legal matters such as marriage annulment, child custody and support, birth certificates, passports, and properties — issues that would previously have necessitated them to come home to take care of. Through the app, they are given expert advice on the processes that they need to undergo and documents that they need to prepare before their next legal steps. There are OFWs who also consult about starting a business back home, with questions on what they need to get started.

He has encountered questions from foreigners who want to set up a business but don’t know the legal conditions on how they can invest. “I had a client who was scammed by a Filipino and was asking how he can file a case,” he recounts.

The app can now be downloaded via Google Play and its IOS version will be soon available for download in App Store. LexMeet has been recently awarded as the Best Life Helper in 2018 ASEAN Rice Bowl Startup Awards as it was recognized in its promising goal in making legal consultations inclusive for all Filipinos. For more information, visit www.lexmeet.com.

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