As legal to ask (7)
I believe the answer is:
solicit
'to ask' is the definition.
(I know that solicit is a more specific form of the action ask)
'as legal' is the wordplay.
'as' becomes 'so' (I've seen this in other clues).
'legal' becomes 'licit' (similar in meaning).
'so'+'licit'='SOLICIT'
(Other definitions for solicit that I've seen before include "Tout" , "Drum up business" , "Seek to obtain, ask earnestly" , "Beg - hustle" , "Request urgently and/or persistently" .)