Reconstructing the Regulation of Virtual Legal Service Provision by Advocates in Indonesia Based on Legal Certainty and Client Protection
Digital transformation has driven a shift in the pattern of legal service delivery from conventional services to virtual legal services, namely the provision of legal services by advocates through electronic media without the physical presence of the advocate and client. This practice has grown rapidly in Indonesia through the use of video conferencing, electronic mail, instant messaging applications, cloud computing, electronic signatures, Artificial Intelligence, and various digital legal platforms. This development has not been accompanied by the establishment of adequate legal regulations, resulting in a normative vacuum regarding the provision of virtual legal services, protection of client confidentiality, digital identity verification, the use of electronic documents, the use of Artificial Intelligence, and legal accountability in the digital ecosystem. This study aims to analyze the regulatory issues surrounding virtual legal services in Indonesia and to formulate a legal framework grounded in the principles of legal certainty and client protection. It employs normative legal research, drawing on statutory, conceptual, philosophical, and comparative approaches. Legal materials are analyzed qualitatively through prescriptive analysis. The findings show that Law Number 18 of 2003 on Advocates and the Advocates' Code of Ethics do not adequately address virtual legal services, creating regulatory inconsistencies with laws on electronic transactions, personal data protection, electronic evidence, and electronic systems. The proposed reconstruction includes establishing norms regarding the provision of virtual legal services, client digital identity verification, electronic powers of attorney, protection of digital communication confidentiality, the use of Artificial Intelligence, regulation of digital legal platforms, legal and ethical accountability, and the development of a Digital Advocates' Code of Ethics integrated with amendments to the Advocates Law and harmonization of various related laws and regulations. This reconstruction is expected to create an adaptive digital legal services system, provide legal certainty, strengthen client protection, and maintain the independence of the legal profession in the era of digital transformation