Why our advocate directory shows no rankings, no ratings and no fees

People sometimes ask why our advocate directory does not show star ratings, reviews, rankings or fees, as other directories do. The answer is the Bar Council of India’s rules on professional conduct.

The rules

Advocates in India are not permitted to advertise or solicit work, directly or indirectly. A directory that ranked advocates, displayed ratings, promoted some over others, or published and compared fees would become a form of advertising for them. It would also put advocates who appear in it at risk.

What the directory does instead

• It lists facts: the advocate’s name, enrolment with a State Bar Council, the courts where they practise, the areas of law they work in and the languages they speak.
• It lets you send a consultation request, free of charge.
• The advocate tells you their own fee directly, before anything is fixed.
• Legal Space Services takes no share of any advocate’s fee, and no advocate pays us anything to be listed.

Choosing an advocate

We have written three short guides to help: how to choose an advocate, whether you need a lawyer at all, and how to prepare for the first meeting with a lawyer. Advocates who wish to join the directory can apply through the For Advocates page.