Chantal Haynes

1
Chantal Haynes

• Lexcel Executive
• The Law Society

2
Why Management Standards

• Greater competition
• Cost of making mistakes
• More demanding clients
• Clients judge you on service
• New Code of Conduct

3
Why Lexcel?

• Written by solicitors for solicitors
• Any size and type of practice
• c725 accredited practices (c40 pending award)
• 350 on Commitment Scheme
• Commitment to quality risk management

4
How Lexcel Works

• 55 requirements across 8 areas
• Framework for good management practice
• What to do not how to do it
• Assures consistently good standards of service
• Doesnt apply to quality of legal advice

5
What is Lexcel

• 1 Structures and Policies
• 2 Strategy, the Provision of Services and
  Marketing
• 3 Financial Management
• 4 Information Management Facilities
• 5 People Management
• 6 Supervision and Operational Risk Management
• 7 Client Care
• 8 File and Case Management

6
People Management

• Recruitment and selection process
• Induction
• Training and development
• Performance review

7
Policies

• Accountability
• Set boundaries
• Regular review

8
Supervision

• Responsibility at senior management level
• Accountability in each practice area and support
  functions
• A framework for managing risks across all parts
  of the business
• Integration of risk management into everything
  the practice does

9
Supervision

• Inactivity checks
• File reviews
• Communication

10
How to get started with Lexcel

• Find out how much you are already doing by
  completing the self assessment checklist
• Join the Commitment Scheme
• Free to join
• Lexcel Link
• Pre-application

11
Achieving Lexcel

• Application Process
• - general
• - staggered
• Independently assessed

12
Cost of Lexcel

• Annual registration fee
• Assessment fee - paid to assessment body
• c650 a day / 10 fee-earners 2 days
• Time
• your time / management time

13
Statistics

• Approximately 700 accredited practices
• 350 on Commitment scheme
• 18 of top 100 commercial practices
• 60 sole practitioners
• 289 with 2-10 partners
• 160 local authorities

14
Benefits of Lexcel

• Per fee-earner, Lexcel accredited firms have 40
  fewer complaints
• High percentages of accredited practices have
  found Lexcel to be beneficial to risk management.
• 81 Improved client care / client satisfaction
• 79 risk management / reduced complaints
• 69 lower insurance premiums
• Evidence that you are complying with the Code of
  Conduct

15
Thank You

• EnquiriesChantal Haynes, Lexcel Office, The
  Law SocietyTel 020 7320 5781E-mail
  chantal.haynes_at_lawsociety.org.ukwww.lexcel.lawso
  ciety.org.uk