‘More go online for legal advice’

The way in which people receive legal advice could be changed by the increasing prominence of the internet, it has been suggested.

A new study from Pew Internet and analysts at the American Life Project has found that the internet is the primary data resource for a majority conducting important research.

Almost 60 per cent of Americans polled said that they go online when seeking out advice normally provided by a lawyer – as well as when searching out financial or career advice.

The findings point to the very different ways in which lawyers will be used in years to come – changes which could have a knock-on effect on solicitor negligence cases.

Lee Rainie, director of the non-profit Pew Internet and American Life Project, said: “The ascendance of the internet has a demand-side dimension and a supply-side dimension.

“On the demand side, we clearly see that the spread of broadband has made the internet an easy place for people to do research when they face problems.”

Mr Rainie added: “On the supply side, the growth of content of all sorts makes the internet a more useful place to go exploring.”