Online legal matching service for one niche

Law firms and sole practitioners who want a steady flow of enquiries. In some set-ups, clients pay a small fixed fee for a shortlist.

Flat monthly listing or subscription fees from lawyers, or a fixed fee per enquiry. Check carefully before taking a percentage of legal fees.

• Building relationships with professionals
• Clear writing and basic website skills
• Organised follow-up with enquiries
• Careful and honest with people's personal details

• Rules on lawyers paying or accepting referral fees differ by state and territory, and some areas such as personal injury are restricted. Get advice from a lawyer or your state's legal regulator before setting your fee model
• Don't give legal advice or imply you are a law firm, as this could breach legal profession rules and consumer law
• Privacy obligations when you collect and pass on personal details, so check the Privacy Act and the Spam Act
• Honest claims about your lawyers, as misleading statements can breach the Australian Consumer Law
• Public liability or professional indemnity insurance, check what suits an online referral business
• GST registration once turnover reaches the threshold

Startup costs are typically around $1,500 to $6,000, depending on your website, your set-up and the insurance you choose. These are estimates, so get quotes for each item before you commit.

Monthly revenue is typically around $800 to $4,000, depending on how many lawyers you work with, your fee model and how many enquiries you generate. It can start from about 8 hours a week, and this is revenue, not profit.

Check rules on lawyers paying or accepting referral fees, which differ by state and territory and restrict areas such as personal injury. Get advice from a lawyer or your state's legal regulator. Also check privacy obligations, the Spam Act, and that you never give legal advice.