united-states
Why is everyone afraid to give &quot;legal advice&quot;? What is the difference between legal advice and personal opinion?
<p>Why is it illegal to give your opinion/advice about a legal problem or case if you are not licensed or do not have a lawyer/client contract?   </p>

<p><a href="https://hirealawyer.findlaw.com/do-you-need-a-lawyer/what-is-legal-advice.html" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Findlaw.com</a> says it's ok if you are just a friend, or if you give general information but not to a specific case.  </p>

<p>The reason I am asking is because as I look at it for the first time, it sounds a bit in contradiction with the principle of free speech, or the right to engage in a free non-binding exchange of opinions.      </p>

<p>If the main reason is that you may be "dangerously wrong", why isn't the same logic applied to every other aspect of life like cooking, how to fix the foundation of your house.. etc? Putting wrong ingredients in your recipe can poison you. A weak foundation may cause your house to collapse and kill you.</p>

<p>In many parts of the world the legal profession is heavily regulated. One must pass a bar exam to practice law.</p>

<p>You probably won't get into trouble for pretending to be a florist or a poet, but pretending to be a lawyer or a physician or an accountant may be a crime.</p>

<p>The danger is that if someone gets the impression that you are a lawyer you could end up in trouble for impersonating one when you have not actually passed the bar exam. By explicitly stating that they are not a lawyer and not giving legal advice, they avoid that possibility.</p>
