For the past few months, Oratto has been testing the UK’s first ever free 24/7 consumer-facing AI-powered legal advisor, developed by its technology partner, Simply.Law. It provides advice based on the laws of England & Wales by default but, if the user indicates a different location, e.g. Scotland, it can also advise on other legal jurisdictions.
Simply.Law, part of the Simply Technology Group, develops AI-driven legal software. It has developed the legal advisor solution using AI tools such as ChatGPT4.0 from OpenAI, exclusively for Oratto to use in the UK market (Simply.Law is also in active discussions to launch similar partnerships in other legal jurisdictions).
In our article “Live transcripts from an AI legal advisor – how am I doing? (Part 1)”, we discussed how this new service has been performing and began to share some transcripts of live conversations with real clients.
In Part 5, we are sharing a second anonymised client conversation regarding a cross-border family/divorce/immigration enquiry:
Anonymised Client Cross-Border Family / Divorce / Immigration Enquiry:
| Simply.Law Legal Advisor | Thank you. May I have your name, please? |
| Client “HP” | HP |
| Simply.Law Legal Advisor | Nice to meet you, HP. |
| Client “HP” | In order for us to contact you later, can you please share your email address with us? |
| Simply.Law Legal Advisor | xxxx@gmail.com |
| Client “HP” | Thank you, HP. |
| Simply.Law Legal Advisor | How can we help you today please? |
| Client “HP” | I need some advice for divorce and immigration process for me |
| Client “HP” | I got married last year in June in india i moved UK in March 2023 and my husband send me a divorce notice as he is cheating on me and doesn’t want to continue this marriage |
| Simply.Law Legal Advisor | I’m sorry to hear that. If your marriage took place in India, it’s important to establish which legal jurisdiction applies to your divorce. In the UK, for example, there are different laws applicable depending on whether you live in England and Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland. Can you please let me know which town you currently reside in, as this will help me advise you on the appropriate legal jurisdiction? |
| Client “HP” | Northampton |
| Simply.Law Legal Advisor | Thank you for confirming that you live in Northampton. You’re entitled to get divorced in the UK if you’re domiciled and habitually resident here. If you’ve been living in the UK for more than 12 months, you should be able to petition for divorce here. Please note that from 6 April 2022, the legal requirement for fault as a basis for divorce will be removed in England and Wales. This means that you’ll be able to seek a “no-fault divorce”.
The legal system in England and Wales provides for both fault and no-fault divorces. Since February 2020, couples can divorce without placing blame on one another. A no-fault divorce can happen if you’ve lived apart from your spouse for at least two years and you both agree to divorce, or if you’ve lived apart for at least five years. Otherwise, you will need to demonstrate that your spouse has committed adultery or unreasonable behaviour. I would recommend speaking to an Oratto solicitor for further guidance on how to proceed with the divorce process. They can provide specific advice tailored to your situation and help with the paperwork involved. You can contact Oratto on 0800 368 6338 or email contact@oratto.co.uk to discuss your requirements. |
| Client “HP” | What time and days i can call ? |
| Simply.Law Legal Advisor | Oratto’s phone lines are open 24/7. One of our team members will be happy to arrange for a family lawyer to call you back at a time convenient to you. Alternatively, you can email Oratto at contact@oratto.co.uk and one of our team members will get back to you as soon as possible. |
| Client “HP” | Thank you. |
| Simply.Law Legal Advisor | You’re welcome. Do you have any other legal questions or concerns that I can help you with? |
| Client “HP” | I am on dependent visa so after divorce can I still stay in UK till next 33 months for which my visa is valid or i need to go back? Or can I change my visa category? |
| Simply.Law Legal Advisor | As a dependent on your spouse’s visa, your visa is likely to be tied to your spouse’s immigration status in the UK. After a divorce, it is possible that your dependent visa may no longer be valid. However, you may be able to apply to switch to another visa category, such as a work visa or student visa, if you meet the eligibility criteria for that visa category.
I would advise you to seek immigration advice from a qualified immigration lawyer who will be able to assess your circumstances and advise you on the best course of action to take. Oratto can arrange for an expert immigration lawyer to call you back. You can reach Oratto on 0800 368 6338, or by email at contact@oratto.co.uk. |
| Client “HP” | Thank you |
| Simply.Law Legal Advisor | You’re welcome. If you have any other legal queries or concerns, please feel free to ask. |
