What does Legal Buddy actually do?
Legal Buddy is an AI-powered legal intake service. Zara, our AI assistant, listens to your situation in plain language, gives you general information about your rights in your jurisdiction, and — when you'd like to take the next step — connects you with a vetted, independently licensed lawyer who handles matters like yours. There's no obligation to be matched.
Is what Zara tells me legal advice?
No. Zara provides general legal information, not legal advice. The distinction matters: information explains what the law generally says; advice applies the law to your specific facts, after a lawyer has formally engaged with you. For advice, we connect you with a real lawyer. See our safety page for the full breakdown.
How are your lawyers vetted?
Every lawyer we match you with has been verified against the appropriate professional body in their country — the Legal Practice Council (LPC) for South Africa, the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) for Nigeria. We check their bar registration, ID, and practice number, sign an NDA, and review the relationship on an ongoing basis. We remove lawyers who fall out of good standing. See our safety page for the standards.
Which countries do you serve?
The intake AI provides general legal information for any jurisdiction. Lawyer matching is currently live in South Africa and Nigeria, with additional African markets in the 2026 expansion plan. If you're elsewhere, Zara will still help you understand your situation — and we'll let you know when matching opens in your country.
Is my information private?
Yes. We comply with POPIA (South Africa's Protection of Personal Information Act) and Nigeria's NDPA. We don't sell your data, we don't share it with third parties without your consent, and we don't train AI models on your conversations. You can request export or deletion of everything we hold via /data-deletion or by emailing privacy@legal-buddy.co.za. Full detail on /privacy.
How much does it cost?
Talking to Zara is free. Getting matched with a lawyer is free. The lawyer's fees depend on the case and the lawyer — for many matters, the lawyer offers an initial consultation either free or at a fixed rate, and quotes the full engagement before any work begins. You always see the fee structure before you agree to engage.
What if I'm in an emergency?
Legal Buddy is not for emergencies. If you or someone else is in immediate danger, contact your local emergency services first:
- South Africa: 10111 (police), 10177 (ambulance)
- Nigeria: 112 (universal emergency)
Once you're safe, come back and Zara can help you understand what to do next.
I'm a lawyer — how do I sign up?
Apply via /lawyers. We're onboarding carefully — South Africa and Nigeria first, with priority for family law, employment law, criminal law, immigration, and small business / contracts. We pay matched lawyers fairly and never take a cut of the engagement fee without disclosing it upfront.