Legal Research, Legal Advice and Legal Opinions

Legal Research is the process whereby a legal practitioner finds relevant cases and legislation using textbooks, journal articles, encyclopaedias and other reference regarding a certain legal subject. The purpose of legal research is to find "authority" that will aid in finding a solution to a legal problem. Legal advice is the provision of legal guidance regarding the substance or procedure of the law and/or a specific problem and the actions that need to be taken to address such problem. A Legal Opinion is based on legal research done regarding a specific problem identified by a client, or, prospects of success of a certain matter based on legal research. A client will use a legal opinion to assess the risk involved of a specific problem.