Best site for legal advice
Linklaters
Linklaters launched Blue Flag, its online legal service, in 1996, whereas many other law firms have begun to roll out or develop online products only in the past 12 months. Since then, it has launched new advisory products each year, which it says take between four months to a year to develop. Blue Flag now offers a total of six, covering regulatory compliance, funds, pensions, shareholding disclosure, derivatives and employee share plans. Blue Flag commercial manager Mark Boggis says : “We want to be everything we can to a core set of clients. Blue Flag is not just information on screen.”
Blue Flag's strength is that it is a thorough and comprehensive service that offers a combination of information and advice. Linklaters charges a fee for Blue Flag because it is putting a portion of its consultation business onscreen. Many other online legal services are free because they provide general information only, or because they facilitate transactions in much the same way as the phone, fax or e-mail.
David Cooper, global head of securities compliance at HSBC says: “Blue Flag is good value for money, and can actually save you money when you match it up with the time you'd otherwise spend with a good-quality lawyer.