Legal Services Commission Quality Mark
The Legal Services Commission runs the legal aid scheme in England and Wales. Firms that deliver legal aid must hold either the Specialist Quality Mark (SQM) or Lexcel. The SQM is a quality assurance standard for legal providers that:
supply complex legal help
offer a full range of legal services, including representation in court (where necessary and permitted) by formally trained professionals
The firm also holds the Family Mediation Quality Mark.
Lexcel
The firm has held the Law Society's Lexcel practice management standard since 2002. Lexcel is the Law Society's international practice management standard. The Lexcel practice management standard is only awarded to solicitor practices which meet the highest management and customer care standards. Lexcel accredited practices undergo rigorous independent assessment every year to ensure they meet required standards of excellence in areas such as client care, case management and risk management.
Law Society Accreditations
Many solicitors concentrate their work in one or two areas of law and some solicitors are accredited by the Law Society in their area of specialisation. Law Society accredited specialists have expert skills, knowledge and experience that are tested and certified against the highest standards. The firm has Law Society accredited specialists in the following areas:-
- Adult and Children Panel – seven accredited members
- Personal Injury Panel – two accredited members
- Mental Health Review Tribunal Panel – four accredited members
- Family Mediation Panel – two members
- Criminal Litigation Accredited scheme – nine stage 1 members
- Family Law Panel – two accredited members
Resolution
Resolution is an organisation which believes in a constructive, non-confrontational approach to family law matters. The firm has nine solicitors who are members of Resolution. Of these nine several have gained specialist accreditation in the following areas:-
- Collaborative Law - two accredited members
- Mediation - two accredited mediators
- Domestic Abuse - three accredited members
- Children Law (disputes between parents and relatives) – one accredited member
- Complex financial and property matters – two accredited members
The Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners (STEP)
Full members of STEP are the most experienced and senior practitioners in the field of trusts and estates. The firm has five full members.
The Association of Contentious Trust and Probate Specialists (ACTAPS)
ACTAPS is an organisation for lawyers specialising in contentious trust and probate work. The firm has one member.
The Law Society's Conveyancing Quality Scheme (CQS)
We are a member of the CQS, which means that we meet the high standards the Law Society sets to ensure that we give clients a professional and quality conveyancing service.
