Bar Association to Launch Lawyer Information Service as 'Rotok Alternative'... Rotok Says "Was This for Disciplinary Purpose?"

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Daehyun] The Korea Bar Association (KBA), which has banned lawyers from joining the legal service platform 'Lotok,' is launching a service that provides lawyer information to consumers. The service is expected to start as early as this year.

According to the legal community on the 6th, the KBA and the Seoul Bar Association recently formed a task force (TF) to launch the lawyer information service and have begun practical discussions.

A KBA official stated, "The specific details of the service have not yet been finalized," but added, "The goal is to make it easier for clients to obtain information about lawyers and to improve accessibility to legal services." The official also said, "Unlike private platforms that pursue profit, the KBA and the Seoul Bar Association will not adopt a profit-making structure through this service."

Previously, the KBA took regulatory measures, including disciplinary investigations against lawyers registered on online legal service platforms. The KBA is now directly launching the service as an alternative to the information imbalance problem regarding lawyers.

On the other hand, Law&Company, which operates Lotok, expressed, "We feel not only bewildered but also disheartened that the KBA, which banned the use of platforms like Lotok, is building a similar platform," and added, "The KBA must answer whether the disciplinary actions against Lotok-registered lawyers were intended for this purpose."