HUGO helps and advises on legal matters.
We announce that starting January 1, 2026, the Ministry of Justice and the Ministry of Digital Affairs will end the provision of free legal counseling for those in need. The ministries plan to replace counseling services with a chatbot and, in the future, create new positions of “case clerks” attached to courts.
Below is the official statement from HUGO.legal:
“Each year, around 10,000 people receive state-supported legal aid — many of them are parents facing complex family issues. If this opportunity disappears, the most vulnerable people will be left without protection of their rights,” said Erki Pisuke, Head of Legal at HUGO.legal.
“The ministry’s plan is incomprehensible — they talk about a robot, but not about what will happen to the 10,000 people who have received legal aid every year,” Pisuke added.
Minister: Questions Are Repetitive and Technology Has Advanced
Minister of Justice and Digital Affairs Liisa Pakosta told Postimees that, over time, it has become clear that the questions people ask are repetitive.
According to Pakosta, the ministry’s chatbot is in its final testing phase and is planned to be launched at the beginning of the new year.
“It will allow everyone to quickly and easily find information on how to take legal action to protect their rights,” the minister explained.
HUGO: A Robot Cannot Replace a Lawyer
According to Pisuke, using a chatbot instead of a lawyer is like sending a plane into the air without pilots.
“Modern aircraft can take off, fly, and land on autopilot, yet there are still two experienced pilots on board. The reason is simple — responsibility and decision-making cannot be automated,” Pisuke said.
“The same applies to legal services. A robot can assist a lawyer, but it cannot assess the human dimension of a situation or take responsibility for mistakes. Clients are not looking for legal paragraphs — they are looking for solutions to their problems.”
Pisuke added that HUGO.legal supports the development of legal technology and uses it daily but emphasized that automation must create real value for people and genuinely help them — not leave them alone talking to a machine about their problems.
Technological Progress Requires Responsibility
“At HUGO, we keep pace with technological progress. We created Estonia’s first legal robots, and our applications have helped thousands of clients. But even we wouldn’t claim that a person in need could rely on a chatbot’s advice when dealing with complex legal issues.
The minister’s statement that first-level legal aid questions are repetitive doesn’t reflect real practice. At HUGO, we’ve been using legal robots for over five years to handle simple and narrowly defined legal issues — and from our experience, these represent only a small fraction of all legal problems.
Technology must certainly be used to improve access to legal services, but we clearly see that in most cases, human lawyers’ involvement is still necessary,” Pisuke noted.
According to him, by discontinuing the project, the state is discouraging people from standing up for their rights.
“The ministry’s decision neglects children and their rights. Essentially, it tells parents to go to court on their own. But in practice, the opposing side often has expensive lawyers. Now single mothers are being told to ask a chatbot for help and then face much more experienced opponents in court. This puts children’s rights in a very unfortunate position.”
HUGO Will Continue Supporting Those in Need
HUGO.legal will not leave people without help.
“Since the state is pulling the rug out from under those in need, we are preparing a new service that will allow people to receive legal aid for an affordable monthly fee. We want to provide a real solution that fills the gap the state’s decision will leave,” Pisuke explained.
More information about the new service will be shared soon, but it will focus on out-of-court legal assistance, which makes up the vast majority of cases.
“Statistics show that only a small fraction of cases reach court — people mostly need legal help outside of it. Over the years, we’ve built strong experience and understanding to base this new service on,” Pisuke concluded.
Important Information!
Who can receive free legal aid in 2025?
All residents of Estonia whose average gross income is up to €1,200 per month.
An exception applies to family matters concerning children’s rights, where the income limit is up to €2,000.
What is the scope of free legal aid?
The first two hours of counseling are free.
If that’s not enough, it’s possible to get three additional hours at a reduced rate of €46.50/hour.
In family cases related to children’s rights, up to 10 hours of discounted legal aid are available, including court representation.
In other cases, court representation is not covered by state support, but can be obtained as a separate paid service.
HUGO Offices
HUGO has offices in 16 cities across Estonia:
Tallinn, Tartu, Pärnu, Rapla, Viljandi, Valga, Võru, Põlva, Jõgeva, Paide, Narva, Jõhvi, Rakvere, Haapsalu, Kuressaare, and Kärdla.
How to get free legal aid?
To receive free legal aid, you must sign a client agreement and pay a one-time co-payment of €5, which grants access to discounted legal aid until the end of the calendar year.
Minors are exempt from the co-payment.
To book an appointment with a lawyer, visit https://hugo.legal/broneeri-soodus or call 6 880 400.
State-supported legal aid is available until December 31, 2025, or as long as allocated funds last.
