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Welcome to the law business consultancy by lawyers for lawyersWe believe that excellent management support and professional development resources must be accessible to all firms, regardless of size, and that their value must be clear and measurable. We know that price isn't everything but, as law firm business owners ourselves, we know how much it matters, which is why our mission is to provide best practice at best value...guaranteed.

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Lexcel

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About

We are lawyers with extensive management and operational experience in professional legal practice, legal training and elsewhere. We have the expertise and insight to design and deliver best practice solutions and support and a business model that enables us to deliver best value.
We offer a full range of business management and individual support and development services. Our bespoke and personal approach allows us to develop flexible and tailored management and training solutions to precisely meet your needs.
We are Lexcel, SRA and LSC compliance specialists. As independent, accredited, consultants we can assist and guide you through the process from facilitating your own staff to develop and implement your own programme to leading the process ourselves.
We are happy to speak or meet with you, without charge or obligation and in complete confidence, to discuss how we can help. For best practice at best value call us on: 0121 270 6026 or send us a message via our contact page.

Latest News

Lexcel version 5 launched; from 1st Jan 2012 compliance is optional; from 1st July 2012 all assessments will be against v5.SRA introduce 'outcomes-focused' regulation and new Code of Conduct from 6 October 2011.We have introduced fixed fee packages for our Lexcel consultancy services: Manager; Coach; Mentor.

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Consultancy by lawyers for lawyers

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About

We are practising solicitors with extensive management and operational experience in professional legal practice, legal education, commercial training organisations and elsewhere. We are also a certified Lexcel consultancy.We conduct all engagements but we are assisted, as required, by professional associates who meet our practice quality standards. Our associates have expertise and experience in a variety of fields, some at senior management level in private and public organisations. Not all are lawyers, indeed, we actively seek individuals who can provide alternative perspectives and skills. CV's of the personnel we propose to use are made available before any engagements are agreed. Some of our associates are part of our management team in that they not only act as consultants but also help us to develop our service strategies and methodologies.Our Team Steve Wilcock, principal consultant, director Steve is a senior solicitor and certified Lexcel consultant with extensive all-round experience, including senior management roles in legal practice and legal education. As a solicitor and manager in a variety of practices, an LSC franchise / quality representative, a nationally recognised tutor and CPD trainer and a former Legal Practice Course Director, he has wide-ranging experience in all our service areas. A litigation specialist, Steve is an experienced advocate in a wide range of courts and tribunals and a Law Society approved advocacy trainer. He has founded and is the managing partner of a niche legal aid practice, Sally Wilcock & Co, and is the co-founder and managing director of the Kensington Partnership Limited, Solicitors, a specialist practice based in London and Birmingham. He has developed accounts, time-recording and other IT solutions for sole practitioners. He is co-founder and a director of the Institute of Paralegals currently engaged in the development of professional competency standards. He is involved in the management and delivery of a number of educational and training initiatives, including CPD courses for solicitors. He is a visiting lecturer at the University of the West of England and a professional external examiner at Cambridge University.Sally Wilcock, management & HR consultant, director A former court clerk, Sally has been one of the senior partners in a provincial city firm of solicitors. In 2003 she founded her own niche firm specialising in children law matters, principally undertaking publicly funded work on behalf of children. Sally is an experienced advocate in the Magistrates, County and High Courts and has been an honorary lecturer at Birmingham University. She has designed and implemented appraisal and supervision systems and, as 'staff partner' in a large firm, gained considerable experience in HR issues and solutions. James O'Connell, business consultant, associateJames practised as a solicitor in the City and in Hong Kong before becoming an Associate Professor teaching undergraduate and postgraduate law. He has also worked as CEO of a financial brokerage with offices in seven countries. Professionally James has served on committees for the Hong Kong Government, the Law Society of Hong Kong, the Council for Administration and, most recently, for the City of Westminster Council where he was the lay member on the Standards Committee. James has considerable experience of designing and running in-work training and continuing professional development programmes. He has devised and run programmes for the Hong Kong Institute of Company Secretaries, Info-Cite Ltd and the Institute of Paralegals, of which he is the founder and CEO. In addition James has written and lectured extensively in the UK and overseas on legal and management issues. He is the contributing editor to the Sweet & Maxwell ‘Professional Guide' series of books with 'Successful Practice Management' (ISBN / ISSN: 962 661 058 1) Paul Bishop, IT consultant, associate Paul is a computer engineer who has worked for some of the UK’s leading computer retailers and service providers. He is a director of an IT services company providing ongoing contract based IT support and maintenance to business customers and specialising in IT support for the legal profession. Through Paul we are able to offer a full range of IT and risk management solutions. Geoff Middleton, PR consultant, associateA freelance journalist for over 26 years, Geoff has considerable experience in PR, most notably with one of the UK's leading power companies where he has been a consultant for many years. He has experience of management and training in highly commercial environments which is a valuable resource in the development of our management strategies and professional development courses. Geoff also brings commercial insight and a highly developed customer service ethos to our client relationship solutions.Tim Treadwell, professional development consultant, associateTim is an academic lawyer, a solicitor by training, with many years teaching experience. He has designed and drafted law courses and teaching materials, achieving exceptional results in national assessments. Tim helps to design and present our courses and professional development programmes to ensure that our training solutions are constructed and delivered in accordance with the best principles and practices of learning and teaching / training and coaching. Tim is the Academic Advisor to the Institute of Paralegals and a member of the Institute's Advisory Board.

Services

Best practice...

...best value

Services

BUSINESS & INDIVIDUAL SUPPORT & DEVELOPMENT
We offer a full range of business and individual support and development services. Our bespoke and personal approach allows us to develop flexible and tailored management and training solutions to precisely meet your needs. Our services cover: Practice management support Business development Training & CPD Mentoring and coaching Client relationship management IT solutions Lexcel, LSC and SRA consultancy

Practice Management

Whether you need business development project management or practice management assistance to cover busy times, illness, or just to free staff for other projects, we can provide a cost-effective solution. From one-off assignments to long term cover or projects, we can implement, operate, manage or develop your existing practice management strategies and policies. Tasks we have undertaken include:• Lexcel consultancy• Firm / departmental interim management • Documentation and procedure drafting / updating • Project management e.g. case management systems • Appraisals including process design and implementation • Identification of practice management needs • Business planning • Succession planning • Merger analysis & reporting • Virtual networking• HR management • IT support • Recruitment• New practice start-ups • Departmental / firm-wide audits and reviews • Devising, implementing and managing strategic and development plans • Skills and competencies audits and training planning • Internal communications audits to assess and improve effectiveness • Appraisal and HR co-ordination and re-engagements • Marketing and PR development planning and management • Computers and servers designed, built, installed and maintained • IT networks (including multi-office) designed, built, installed and maintained

Lexcel & Compliance

We are Law Society accredited Lexcel consultants. We are also consultants in SRA compliance and the LSC Quality Mark, with the valuable insight and experience that comes with being practising solicitors ourselves with our own legal aid contract. We offer services tailored to your specific requirements requirements, including mock audits, in-house CPD training, and advice and assistance with compliance issues, interventions and appeals. A large part of our work in this area recently has focused on Rule 5 compliance and management and supervision issues generally. We have also undertaken an increasing number of client care reviews to ensure that firms have updated and effective procedures in this vital area.Some firms only instruct us when they are faced with an upcoming audit or are having to negotiate with or make representations to the SRA or LSC following an audit or investigation. Our business model means that we have the flexibility to respond quickly. Many firms instruct us before they face an audit to ensure that they are fully compliant before a visit looms or external issues arise. If we are engaged on such a basis we offer annual health checks at 50% of our usual rates.If you would like to discuss how we could help your organisation to meet the SRA requirements, please contact us.

Training & CPD

We are more than just a training provider. We aim to exceed our client's expectations and to be partners in their professional development goals. We measure our successes on those individuals and businesses whose aspirations are advanced; tailored solutions rather than short term fixes. With expertise in legal service delivery, practice management and legal training at all levels, we are ideally positioned to be your cpd partner.We bring specialist in-depth knowledge and experience to your development needs. Whether you are an individual seeking advancement or a firm or company looking to grow and improve, our initial free consultations are essential in finding not only your immediate needs but also the bigger picture going forward. We will present solutions targeted to your development needs.As lawyers ourselves with considerable experience in professional legal education, we have the expertise and insight to design and deliver original courses to meet your needs and add value to your business and people. Our bespoke approach to training ensures that our training solutions deliver the exact results you require to realise your objectives quickly, efficiently and cost-effectively. Training can be delivered according to your timescales and priorities.We offer training covering skills and competencies as well as knowledge bases and we deliver in-house management training for partners and supervisors to meet the requirements of Rule 5 of the Solicitors Code of Conduct.

Terms

Our full standard terms of business incorporating the Law Society Code of Practice for Engaging a Consultant can be found here: We have various charging rates depending on the type of work we are undertaking, for example consultancy or training. Our basic consultancy charge-out rate is £75 per hour. This is discounted in our daily, weekly and longer term rates on which we offer a 20% discount to sole practitioners but otherwise our charges are the same regardless of the size of the firm; we believe consultants should charge simply and transparently for what they do, not what they think you can afford.Initial consultation(s) to agree the brief and terms of engagement are free of charge.Enhanced rates (which are discussed and agreed with you in advance) are charged for particularly specialist/complex/urgent work. We can also provide long term rates which provide a flexible fee structure allowing varied and discounted fees for ongoing consultancy and project work. Different rates and methods of charging apply to training and coaching/mentoring work - quotations for this work are provided on request.Training materials, practice guides and template documents are priced individually and charged in addition to our time.All fees are subject to VAT and expenses are payable in addition. No charge is made for travelling time or accomodation unless exceptional and agreed in advance. All charging rates are subject to annual review and you will be informed at least one month in advance of any new rates which apply.In our agreement with you we will seek to specify: • the total anticipated fees for the project or for the services; • the planned consultancy timetable indicating likely number of days for each phase and specifying consultant by name or level; • the weekly, daily or hourly rate of consultants to be engaged on the project or alternatively the agreed fee for the project; • the nature and amount of likely expenses or disbursements• the payment schedule (if any).If variations during the assignment are anticipated, this will be made clear and variations will be notified and agreed at the appropriate time.Bills, unless agreed otherwise, will be submitted at regular intervals, usually every month. Bills are payable within 30 days and, if not paid within that time, we are entitled to cease working for you without further notice. Overdue bills will attract interest at the rate payable on judgment debts.

Standard Terms of Business.pdf

Compliance

Gear System 1

Bespoke

solutions

Compliance

"Comply with your legal and regulatory obligations and deal with your regulators and ombudsmen in an open, timely and co-operative manner"Principle 7Solicitors' Code of Conduct 2011
The demands of practice management and regulatory compliance have never been greater and are increasing all the time...and so is the cost. Every rule or regulation seems to have a direct charge and an indirect burden in terms of the time and expertise required to implement or comply with it. Partner and senior staff time is increasingly being drained away from fee earning and the cost of in-house management support is being driven up. The challenge is faced by all firms regardless of size which is why we aim to provide an expert service at a price that makes it accessible to all.

Lexcel

Lexcel is the Law Society's practice management standard. We are accredited consultants.

Lexcel is the most appropriate standard for the legal profession as it was written by solicitors for solicitors. It is a scheme for any type of legal practice to certify that certain standards have been met following independent assessment and is only awarded to organisations that meet the highest management and customer care standards. Lexcel accredited practices undergo rigorous independent assessment every year to ensure they meet the required standards of excellence in areas such as client care, case management and risk management.Lexcel assessment is a simple and transparent process which is: • independently assessed • available to any size or type of practice including in-house, local government and sole practitioners • flexible - only specifying standards, not procedures• valid for three years with annual monitoring visitsHow long it takes to achieve the standard varies depending on how far from the standard the organisation currently operates and the commitment it has to the process. Some organisations that have focussed on achieving Lexcel have done so in two to three months, though on average it is likely to take around six months.Lexcel combines some elements of Investors in People, some elements of ISO 9000, and is a readily-translated quality standard for the legal profession. If you have any other quality standards, such as the Legal Services Commission's Specialist Quality Mark, ISO 9000 or Investors in People, then your assessment could take even less time and also cost less, since you will be allowed exemptions for any areas already covered. The BenefitsAchieving Lexcel should benefit your practice in a number of ways. Research and feedback from Lexcel accredited practices has identified the following:• effective risk management leading to fewer claims or complaints • better customer service leading to increased client retention • lower insurance premiums or favourable treatment from insurers • improved marketability and competitive advantage • greater success in tenders, beauty parades and panel reviews • a major step towards demonstrating Best Value compliance for local authorities • consistency of service from all solicitors and practice groups • a framework to meet new legislative requirements, such as the Money Laundering Regulations 2003 • help with new practice rules • increased profitabilityHow long it takes to achieve Lexcel varies depending on how committed the organisation is to achieving the award and how far it has to progress to be compliant with the standard. Some organisations that have focused on achieving Lexcel have done so in two to three months, others have implemented an action plan taking much longer. The average is probably six to nine months.How we can helpAs independent, certified, Lexcel consultants we can assist and guide you through the process from facilitating your own staff to develop and implement a programme to leading the process ourselves.If you would like to discuss how we could help your organisation to achieve Lexcel, please contact us.

SRA Code of Conduct

We provide consultancy on all Solicitors' Code of Conduct and SRA matters.

We offer are services tailored to your specific requirements requirements, including mock audits, in-house CPD training, and advice and assistance with compliance issues, interventions and appeals. A large part of our work in this area recently has focused on Rule 5 compliance and management and supervision issues generally. We have also undertaken an increasing number of client care reviews to ensure that firms have updated and effective procedures in this vital area.Some firms only instruct us when they are faced with an upcoming audit or are having to negotiate with or make representations to the SRA following an audit or investigation. Our business model means that we have the flexibility to respond quickly. Many firms instruct us before they face an audit to ensure that they are fully compliant before a visit looms or external issues arise. If we are engaged on such a basis we offer annual health checks at 50% of our usual rates.If you would like to discuss how we could help your organisation to meet the SRA requirements, please contact us

LSC Quality Mark

We provide consultancy on all Quality Mark and Legal Services Commission contracting matters.

You can consult us on specific matters or projects or we can provide ongoing support with a service agreement under which you retain us to manage your LSC compliance. We offer mock audits and reviews to ensure that you are complying with the obligations laid down by the Unified Contract in addition to your obligations as specified by the Solicitors' Regulation Authority and provide you with plans and strategies for corrective action. Our service level agreement provides a cost-effective LSC and quality management solution by enabling you to outsource this important and time consuming work to specialists who will ensure that you are one step ahead ofs the requirements of the LSC and the SRA. In addition to maintaining your quality assurance system, we will also provide you with advice and assistance about developments and reforms.Service agreements are agreed in advance and vary from client to client but typically cover:• Maintenance of Personnel Records • Maintenance of Financial Records • Monitoring File Reviews and/or undertaking procedural reviews of files • Business Planning • Monitoring Central Registers • Updating/amending Office Procedures Manual • LSC Performance Analysis and action planningUnder a service agreement we would usually offer quarterly visits in addition to unlimited advice by telephone or e-mail but we also offer monthly and bi-monthly visits in appropriate cases.Our service agreements do not require a long commitment from you and can be terminated on 30 days notice.If you would like to discuss how we could help your organisation to meet the LSC requirements, please contact us.

Contact

Law², 16 Amington Road, Shirley, Solihull B90 2RF T: 0121 270 6026 F: 0121 243 6208 M: 07716661555

Would you like more information? Fill out the contact form below and we will get back to you promptly with all of the information you need.

WINNER!

Wealth

Manager

of the Year

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