By Lucy Caulkett-
Law firms are to be compelled to publish details of their employees’ experience and the time work is likely to take as well as their prices, following new transparency rules come into force in December. The Solicitors Regulation Authority(SRA) today announced new regulations designed to aid clients in making correct decisions that lead to an informed choice of legal services provider.
The regulations explain firms’ mandatory obligations, and the guidance also provides templates and best practice tips on publishing user friendly price and service information for the public.In addition to prices, firms must also outline typical timescales for the quoted services and provide details of the experience and qualifications of staff who work in these areas.The required information must be published in a prominent location on a firm’s website, which is accessible, clearly signposted and easy for visitors to find.
For those without a website, the information must be immediately available in any format for any member of the public who. The new transparency rules and their expected implementation date were first announced in June 2018, and confirmed following Legal Services Board approval in August.
The SRA says the new requirements are in consistence with the demands of the Competition and Markets Authority, aimed at combating law firms that charge ridiculously high fees for their services.The move is a clampdown on greedy law firms that abuse their position by asking for ridiculously high fees from unsuspecting clients.
The Solicitor Regulations Authority have also been asked to publish services included under the displayed price, and whether the prices includes VAT or not. The new plans will make it easier for clients to know what the correct charge for various services offered by legal professionals are, without having to be fooled by greedy firms who charge extortionate process.
Firms will also have to provide details of the experience and qualifications of teams and individuals who will carry out the work. The SRA has made clear that it is prepared to bring disciplinary action against any firm which does not comply. Those without a website must ensure that information is readily available upon request.
The SRA ‘s published guidance, best practice tips and templates, are to help firms and denies them the right ti require them to publish a binding quote for each scenario. When an unforeseen complexity arises or where the client’s instructions create extra work, firms should provide revised costs information.
Paul Philip, SRA chief executive, said: ‘Publishing information on price, services and protections will not only benefit the public, but will also help those who deliver these services win business and connect with their customer.’
BARRIER
Connecting with the customer is very important and priceless. Many firms and organisations seem to take this forgranted, and barriers are created when connection about basic or relevant information is missing. Research published today by YouGov for the SRA found the complexity of information available and lack of price information are the main barriers to small businesses accessing legal services.
The survey of around 1,000 small business owners or managers concluded that 60% perceive cost to be a barrier that can limit their access to legal services. An online test was more revealing, in that small businesses without access to pricing information assumed solicitors were more expensive than the actual costs.
Less than half of small businesses already spent time searching the internet when looking for legal service providers, but 75% would spend more time doing so if more accessible information was available online, according to the findings.
Further reforms due to be introduced as part of our transparency rules include a requirement to publish information on complaints procedures, a new digital register of regulated law firms, and the introduction of an SRA digital badge.
Currently in development, the digital badge will be displayed on regulated firms’ websites and link to information about the protections that customers have when using regulated firms.