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Make sure your legal advice is what you think it is, advises law firm

Make sure your legal advice is what you think it is, advises law firm

A leading Merseyside law firm has warned members of the public against being fooled by slickly-operated paralegal law firms who can appear to be solicitors – but are not.

Warnings have been raised in the legal profession’s industry journal, The Law Society Gazette, about the amount of these firms now operating – and the potential pitfalls for clients.

Claire Banks, Director of law firm, Maxwell Hodge, said: “I am concerned that people will believe that they are instructing a solicitor’s firm to help them. They will assume that they have the same protection and expertise. But they do not. Using a paralegal law firm rather than an established solicitor comes with real risks. For example, there are issues around their qualifications, their experience, the regulation of their industry, and possible lack of insurance.

“While law firms are bound by all of the above, in terms of their services and their behaviour, the same does not necessarily apply to these paralegal organisations. They may look the same but they are not and do not have the same rights to represent clients. To some extent, we have been here before with unregulated claims handlers allowing people to believe that they are lawyers people drafting wills who have little or no expertise. Potential clients really need to look in depth to see whether their needs will be met. Being a ‘qualified paralegal’ is not the same as being a qualified solicitor or legal executive.

“Paralegal representatives are limited in what they can and cannot do for their clients – so while promises of cheaper costs might seem attractive, it is vital to make sure that you are not throwing your money away on a service that ultimately does not achieve anything for you.

“It is worth bearing in mind that while solicitors and legal executives have trained for years, and are part of highly regulated professions, you do not need any specific qualifications to become a paralegal, and memberships of professional bodies are voluntary. While most law firms use experienced and qualified paralegals within their business, to support their work, clients need to look long and hard at what they are signing up for if they decide to use one as their main representation.

“Always look very closely at the qualifications being offered by the firm you are considering instructing. Specifically check whether they are actually solicitors, and what they can do for you. If you are at all unsure contact the Law Society who hold a list of solicitors and their areas of expertise.”

For more information on various areas of law contact Maxwell Hodge on 0151 227 4545 or on www.maxweb.co.uk

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Dan Minchin .