A consultancy launched last week is set to offer specialists to small and mid-sized law firms on a temporary basis to help plug the gaps in their expertise or help them through peak work periods.

London-based Lawyers Direct - a company backed by £2 million from Hong Kong-based venture capitalist company, ANG Capital - has 50 consultants on its books. All of them are former solicitors with a minimum of five and an average of nine years' experience.


The consultancy covers five practice areas: general commercial, corporate, intellectual property, IT and maritime.


Established last year, it began trading on a limited trial basis - offering its consultants to in-house lawyers - before its proper launch last week.


Managing director James Knight, a former solicitor with City firm Trowers & Hamlins, said: 'This should appeal to small and medium-sized firms because consultants will be available to help them out in times of short-term need or when they have a requirement for specialist advice.'


The consultants - including Ted Lean, formerly general counsel at energy company TXU Europe, and former Clifford Chance lawyer Rachel McGhie - do not pay to belong to the consultancy, nor are they bound to work exclusively for it.


They are chosen by a series of interviews. Mr Knight explained: 'We have received about 400 CVs each month since we set up. We can afford to be - and are - extremely selective.'


The average charge-out rate to law firms will be £95 an hour for the consultants, including a 30% commission on their earnings, taken by the company.


Mr Knight said that using Lawyers Direct would enable some smaller firms to bid for deals where they could satisfy some specialist advice requirements using consultants.


Nick Jarrett-Kerr, chairman of the Law Society's law management section, said: 'This is certainly an interesting idea, but the value of it will depend a great deal on the quality of the lawyers it attracts.'

LINKS: www.lawyers-direct.biz