Solicitors launch national brand with bean protest
Law firms appeared outside the Royal Courts of Justice today to stage a symbolic demonstration against the prospect of supermarkets and banks running legal services. To mark the launch of a new brand name QualitySolicitors.com, law firm members handed out cans of beans labelled: ‘Legal services by supermarkets is as ridiculous as lawyers selling beans.’
Saleem Arif, chief operating officer, said the organisation, which aims to promote the use of ‘real law firms’ instead of what it calls ‘call-centre law’, has more than 100 members.
He said the protest was inspired by the former minister for constitutional affairs, Bridget Prentice, who said at the time the Legal Services Act white paper was published: ‘I don't see why consumers should not be able to get legal services as easily as they can buy a tin of beans.’
Comments
New quality solicitor service about as much use as a tin of bean
Have just contacted quality solicitors.com This is just another "call centre" and not a very good one at that! Tesco will do something much better.My suggestion would be that solicitors focus on playing to their individual strengths.
Tesco law vs QualitySolicitors.com
Dear Peter,
I'm sorry to hear your views although I'm not sure I entirely understand your point. QualitySolicitors.com is not "just another call centre". However, incoming calls and enquiries from the public via the website have to be dealt, with with details taken etc. I'm not sure what else you expect nor what it is Tesco will do that will be "much better"?! The difference is that all our staff dealing with enquiries are law graduates and all work from within our own offices; not a call centre. The key to the service to the public is that their details are then matched to the best suited solicitor for their particular issue from within our membership of over 100 of the best firms in the UK rather than the person in the call centre continuing to deal with the case throughout - as will be the case in the Tesco law scenario.
Obviously different firms have different views about how to meet the challenge posed by "Tesco law" and on marketing generally and I am always happy to debate and discuss differing approaches. However I suggest that "playing to their individual strengths" is the sort of nebulous, imprecise strategy that will leave firms who adopt such a vague approach the most vulnerable to the threats ahead. QualitySolicitors.com allows firms to benefit from being part of a national brand that will be marketed extensively across tv, radio and newspaper. In the last fortnight alone we have been featured in The Times, the Mail on Sunday and last night on the Chris Evans' show on radio 2 where I was interviewed about QualitySolicitors.com. Through being part of a brand in this way member firms can gain the benefit of the sort of media coverage that is impossible for individual firms.
Best wishes,
Craig
Craig Holt
Chief Executive
QualitySolicitors.com
It is a shame that they put
It is a shame that they put so much effort into their publicity stunt and not so much effort into the website they are trying to approach. If you go to QualitySolicitors.com you find that most of the websites content is under construction "coming soon". The comment is that they seek to promote "real law firms" but the only working part of the website directs users to Which? Legal Services, which is not a law firm but legal advice line offering "call-certe law". If Tesco's ever do enter the legal market I am sure that they will have a working website, deliver on what they promise and avoid cheap publicity stunts. [content excised by Gazette staff]
Less negativity and more debate, please
I think the issue being raised in the comments and responses on this story bring up the feelings surrounding companies that seek to use the techniques of other sectors of business in the practice of law, which is a good thing, but it's not a good thing to do so with plain mud-slinging.
We at the Gazette want and encourage debate on this issue and we feel it's vital that readers' views are expressed, however unpalatable or simplistic, so we're leaving these comments up, but any further comments on this story that are in a similar vein will be removed.
Debate re: Tesco law
I wholeheartedly agree with Rupert on the importance of genuine debate on the issues of Tesco law and the Legal Services Act. Apathy is the one thing that will undoubtedly be leave firms in a dangerous position.
To "anonymous" - assuming you have a genuine interest in the subject and are not just an envious owner of some online referral company feeling threatened by the presence of QualitySolicitors.com - I would say the following. Firstly, the website exists primarily to direct people to the right lawyer for their issue from within our membership of solicitor firms. The only part of the website still stated as under construction is the additional "legal resources" section. Users of our website are directed to call us or fill our webform. As it happens however a completely new website is nearing completion which will be undoubtedly the leading legal site in the UK. As for our relationship with Which? Legal Service, far from being a "call-centre", users of their service speak with qualified solicitors directly. This is a relationship with a trusted brand that benefits greatly both QualitySolicitors.com and member firms.
As for the "cheap publicity stunt" comments; the launch of QualitySolicitors.com with the symbolic (and intentionally tongue in cheek - does no-one have a sense of humour anymore?!) demonstration has been featured this week alone in The Times, the Independent, the Mail on Sunday, BBC online and peak-time on Radio 2 as well as in over 50 local and regional newspapers. Not only has this been of enormous benefit to our member firms in raising the profile of themselves and of QualitySolicitors.com it has helped thrust the LSA debate back into the public arena. This comes at a vital time as the LSB begins consulting on the regulation of ABSs. There remains the opportunity to really influence the final landscape by stimulating debate now. Unfortunately, some people appear to be distracted from the importance of this debate and this task by moaning about uncompleted pages from a website.
Craig Holt
Chief Executive
QualitySolicitors.com