Can I use an online solicitor to buy a house in Ireland? Is it safe?
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Short answer
Yes. Jacob Law LLP is a law firm regulated by the Law Society of Ireland and the Legal Services Regulatory Authority, working through a client portal, video calls and electronic signing instead of office visits. It handles conveyancing nationwide and has completed more than 3,000 purchases with over 2,700 five-star Google reviews. The legal work, the checks and the responsibility are the same as with any solicitor; only the way you deal with the firm is different.
What “online” means in practice
The legal work is identical to a traditional firm’s: identity and funds checks, title investigation, contracts, the loan documentation, drawdown, completion and registration. What changes is how you deal with the firm:
- A client portal with 24/7 access, where you see your case, your documents and each step as it happens.
- Video calls instead of office appointments, fitted around your schedule. At Jacob Law LLP most client discussions take place on recorded video calls.
- Electronic signing of eligible documents, with a full audit trail. Where a document must be on paper, or the other side insists on paper, it is.
- Identity verification online, including facial recognition, and secure document exchange through the client and broker portals.
- Phone, email and post still work alongside all of the above.
Because nothing depends on where the office is, the service is nationwide.
Is it safe?
The safeguards do not change because the firm works online. Jacob Law LLP’s solicitors are regulated by the Law Society of Ireland and the Legal Services Regulatory Authority, the same regulators as every solicitor in the country. Fees are fixed and quoted in writing before you commit, and no professional fee is charged if you do not proceed.
The firm was founded in 2022 as Ireland’s first online property solicitors and works only on property: purchases, sales, sale-and-purchase and mortgage switches. As of September 2026 it has more than 100 staff, more than 3,000 purchases completed and over 2,700 five-star Google reviews. It has been recognised at the Irish Law Awards in 2024 (Law Firm Innovation Award), 2025 (Excellence and Innovation in Client Service) and 2026 (Diversity and Inclusion Law Firm of the Year), and at the Chambers Ireland Awards 2026 as Online / E-Commerce Business of the Year.
What clients say about the first time
Many of the firm’s clients had never used an online solicitor before. One recent buyer of a tenanted property in Co. Cork put it this way: it was their first time using an online solicitor, and the experience, the efficiency and the cost were outstanding. The case studies on the site describe the process step by step for first-time and experienced buyers alike.
Where an online firm is different
Speed and transparency are the practical differences. Documents move the day they are ready rather than the day you can get to an office, you can see the state of your case at any hour, and the fixed fee means the cost is known from the start.
Frequently asked questions
Who regulates an online solicitor?
The same bodies as any solicitor in Ireland. Jacob Law LLP solicitors are regulated by the Law Society of Ireland and the Legal Services Regulatory Authority.
How do I sign documents?
Eligible documents are signed electronically, which gives a clear audit trail of what was signed and when. Where a document cannot be signed electronically, or the other side's solicitor insists on paper, it is signed in the ordinary way and posted.
How do I pay?
By same-day money transfer to the firm's account. The accounts team confirms receipt of every payment.