Article from the Law Society on choosing a lawyer

As President of the Law Society, I see it as an important part of my job to ensure that solicitors offer excellent customer care to their clients.  I know that individuals who go and see a solicitor are often doing so at an important or difficult time in their lives. I want to make sure that they receive the best possible service from the professional who is providing them with that legal advice.

At the moment there is a confusing range of ‘legal service providers’ in the market, so it is essential to seek the services of a solicitor, as they provide a high level of financial protection and strong consumer guarantees, in the event that anything should go wrong. All  solicitors are subject to strict regulation by the Solicitors Regulation Authority to make sure that they deliver the best service to their clients.

Some solicitors’ practices have chosen to make sure that they stand out from the crowd by committing themselves to offering excellent standards of client care and business management. They are recognised for their achievement by the national Law Society by the award of a ‘Lexcel’ quality mark.

All firms that receive the Lexcel accreditation undergo a robust application and assessment process. To maintain their Lexcel status they undergo an annual ‘health-check’ and on-site visits from Lexcel assessors to ensure that they are continuing to meet the high standards expected of Lexcel firms.

Anyone needing the services of a solicitor can seek out the Lexcel logo. There are over 1000 Lexcel accredited law firms across England and Wales. By choosing a solicitor with Lexcel accreditation you can be sure that you will receive a timely response every time you contact them, regular and accurate estimates of how much you will be charged by your solicitor and detailed information about how your charges will be calculated.

I want you to be in no doubt that using a solicitor will ensure a level of service and consumer protection that you will not be able to find anywhere else. We already know that, when questioned, nine out of ten people who had dealings with a solicitor said that they would recommend their solicitor to a friend. Choosing a practice with the Lexcel quality mark will give you that extra reassurance that is so important when you are looking for legal advice.

John Wotton, President of the Law Society of England & Wales