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upLegal makes it easy for clients to find verified lawyers with transparent pricing and clear specializations. The search system uses advanced filtering to match clients with the right legal professionals.

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Search Overview

Clients can search for lawyers using multiple criteria:
  • Text search: Search by name, specialty keywords, or legal topics
  • Location: Filter by Chilean regions and cities
  • Specialty: Choose from 19 legal specializations
  • Price range: Filter by hourly consultation rates
  • Rating: Minimum rating requirements
  • Experience: Years of practice
The platform supports 19 legal practice areas:
  • Derecho Civil
  • Derecho Comercial
  • Derecho de Propiedad Intelectual
  • Derecho Inmobiliario

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Search Flow

1

Enter Search Criteria

Clients can enter keywords in the search bar or select specialties from the specialty slider. The search supports natural language for common legal issues:
  • Family law keywords: “familia”, “divorcio”, “pensión”, “alimentos”, “visitas”, “tuición”
  • Labor law keywords: “despido”, “laboral”, “trabajo”, “finiquito”, “tutela”
The system automatically suggests relevant specialties based on search terms.
2

Apply Filters

Click the “Filtros” button to access advanced filtering options:Modality
  • Online consultations
  • In-person (presencial) with region selection
Specialty Selection
  • Select multiple specialties
  • “Todas” option to view all lawyers
Price Range
  • Slider control from 0to0 to 1,000,000 CLP/hour
  • 10,000 CLP step increments
Rating Filter
  • Star rating selector (1-5 stars)
  • Shows only lawyers meeting minimum rating
Experience Filter
  • Quick select: Any, 3+, 5+, 10+ years
3

Sort Results

Choose how to order results:
  • Recomendados (Recommended): Verified status, profile completeness, then rating
  • Mejor calificados: Highest rated first
  • Experiencia: Most experienced first
  • Precio: Lowest to highest hourly rate
4

Review Lawyer Cards

Each lawyer card displays:
  • Profile photo and name
  • PJUD verification badge (if verified)
  • Specialties (badges)
  • Star rating and review count
  • Location
  • Hourly rate in CLP
  • Brief bio preview
  • Action buttons (View Profile, Book Consultation)

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Search Features

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Smart Keyword Detection

The search automatically detects legal topics and suggests specialties: 
// src/pages/SearchResults.tsx:443-461
const familyKeywords = ['familia', 'divorcio', 'pension', 'alimentos', 'visitas', 'tuicion', 'cuidado personal', 'separacion'];
const laborKeywords = ['despido', 'laboral', 'trabajo', 'finiquito', 'tutela'];
When searching for “divorcio”, the system automatically adds “Derecho de Familia” to the specialty filters.

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Location Coverage

Search supports all Chilean regions and major cities across 16 regions:
  • Región Metropolitana (Santiago, Maipú, Puente Alto, etc.)
  • Valparaíso (Valparaíso, Viña del Mar, Quilpué, etc.)
  • Biobío (Concepción, Talcahuano, Los Ángeles, etc.)
  • And 13 more regions covering all of Chile

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Active Filter Display

Active filters are shown as removable badges above search results: Active filters shown as blue badges with X buttons
  • Click X on any badge to remove that filter
  • “Limpiar todo” button clears all active filters
  • Filters persist in URL for shareable searches

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Infinite Scroll

Results load progressively as you scroll:
  • Initial load: 12 lawyers
  • Automatic loading as you scroll down
  • Smooth loading indicators
  • No pagination buttons needed
The search uses debouncing (300ms) to avoid excessive server requests while typing.

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Lawyer Ranking

Results are prioritized by:
  1. PJUD Verification Status: Verified lawyers appear first
  2. Profile Completeness: Complete profiles (bio, specialties, location, hourly rate) rank higher
  3. Selected Sort Order: Then applies user’s chosen sorting (rating, experience, price)
// src/pages/SearchResults.tsx:331-358
const sortedLawyers = [...formattedLayers].sort((a, b) => {
  // First priority: Verified status
  const aVerified = Boolean(a.verified);
  const bVerified = Boolean(b.verified);
  
  if (aVerified && !bVerified) return -1;
  if (!aVerified && bVerified) return 1;

  // Second priority: Profile completeness
  const isAComplete = Boolean(a.bio?.trim() && a.specialties?.length > 0 && 
                    a.location?.trim() && a.hourlyRate > 0);
  const isBComplete = Boolean(b.bio?.trim() && b.specialties?.length > 0 && 
                    b.location?.trim() && b.hourlyRate > 0);
  
  if (isAComplete && !isBComplete) return -1;
  if (!isAComplete && isBComplete) return 1;
  
  // Third priority: Rating
  return b.rating - a.rating;
});

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Empty States

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No Search Performed

When first visiting the search page without parameters, clients see a prompt to enter search criteria.

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No Results Found

If no lawyers match the filters, clients see:
  • Helpful message explaining no matches
  • Suggestion to adjust filters
  • “Limpiar filtros” button to reset search
Sundays are excluded from available dates as most lawyers don’t work on Sundays in Chile.

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Search Performance

  • Debounced search: 300ms delay prevents excessive API calls
  • Dynamic imports: Code splitting for specialty slider
  • Optimized loading: Skeleton screens during initial load
  • Infinite scroll: Efficient pagination without manual interaction

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Next Steps

After finding a lawyer:

View Profile

Click “Ver perfil” to see full lawyer details, reviews, and availability

Book Consultation

Click “Agendar” to book a consultation directly

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