QualitySolicitors to ditch hourly rate in plans to become the first consumer legal service to offer fixed fees for all legal services

• Upfront ‘QualitySolicitors price promise’ across all legal services including litigation
• No more charging by the hour

This month QualitySolicitors will launch the next phase of a pilot scheme which will see 15 of its firms completely stop charging by the hour for all legal services. QualitySolicitors aim to launch the change across all its offices in early 2014, becoming the first consumer legal service to offer fixed fees for all legal services – including litigation. The ‘QualitySolicitors Price Promise’ guarantees a price will be given upfront for all legal work, following a free fact-finding meeting to understand the scope of the work where necessary.

Richard Allen, Managing Partner of QualitySolicitors Lockings, one of two firms which have been piloting the scheme since August, said: “We volunteered to assist QualitySolicitors in piloting this service as it was something we had already started to move towards. Our partnership with QualitySolicitors has enabled us to move more quickly and to improve the offering to our clients. We have received a very positive response from our clients with a typical comment being that this offer reduces the concerns they have about contacting a solicitor. The support provided by QualitySolicitors both in assisting with process mapping, data collection and its analysis as well as establishing a forum within which the development of the project can be discussed with other firms is invaluable. I feel that this along with other innovative concepts currently being developed by QualitySolicitors bodes well for the future success of the group and its member firms.”

Tammy Parnell of QualitySolicitors Clapham and Collinge, added: “The consumer research undertaken by QualitySolicitors has demonstrated how important this is to clients. It isn’t easy and involves careful quoting and phasing of more complex work but we’re excited by the opportunity this – and other developments in the pipeline with QualitySolicitors – presents to make us even more competitive locally.”

Craig Holt, QualitySolicitors Founder, has overseen this innovation project.  Explaining the rationale behind the fixed price promise he says: “We’ve spent much of 2013 focused on how to improve what the QualitySolicitors brand stands for, and what it offers to SMEs and individuals using our members’ services. Above all else clients told us how much they dislike the open-ended, uncertain nature of charging by the hour and so we’ve worked incredibly hard to enable our firms to move away from this – a fundamental but crucial shift in how firms offer legal services. This is, however, just one very important part of a whole raft of innovation and technology advancements that are now being implemented by QualitySolicitors that we believe will provide our firms with the tools to be competitive in a rapidly changing legal market – winning more clients and servicing them more profitably.”

Holt added: “This is a prime example of collaborative working between QualitySolicitors firms and QualitySolicitors. QualitySolicitors firms have been involved at every step of the way in developing this proposition and continue to be as we move to our phase two pilot. We will, of course, carefully review the results of this pilot and consult further with our members before taking the next steps on this important journey.” 

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About QualitySolicitors:

• Launched in 2010, QualitySolicitors is a group of law firms across the country working as part of the QualitySolicitors brand. Only one firm per local area is selected to become a QualitySolicitors partner. Customer feedback forms an integral part of the selection process.
• QualitySolicitors’ national network of lawyers consists of over 100 branches across England and Wales.
• QualitySolicitors lawyers are experts in their fields dealing with both consumer and SME legal matters. QualitySolicitors offers a personal, local service but with the assurance of a recognised national brand.
• QualitySolicitors’ website address is www.qualitysolicitors.com
• In 2011 QualitySolicitors secured equity investment from Palamon Capital Partners, a private equity house with a £700m fund.