QualitySolicitors to put desks in 500 WHSmith branches
WHSmith has agreed a deal to allow QualitySolicitors to place representatives in up to 500 of it branches.
Craig Holt
Initially the lawyers will be based in 150 shops, with the long-term aim of having representatives in 500 stores.
QualitySolicitors was launched as an online legal alliance in 2008, but has since evolved into a high street legal alliance. For an annual fee firms sit on a panel that allows them to pool resources to market services.
The deal with WHSmith is the latest move in the company’s expansion. Under the terms of the deal QualitySolicitors will open a ‘legal access point’ in each of the WHSmith stores and will staff it from a local branch of the alliance.
Solicitors will offer advice on a range of consumer legal matters including conveyancing and will writing. There will also be a television advertising campaign to promote the product.
The alliance is the brainchild of barrister Craig Holt and was launched with the support of Michael Gradon, a former Slaughter and May solicitor and one-time head of legal and commercial at P&O Group.
Holt’s original plan was to have a network of 500 firms signed up to the alliance ahead of the implementation of the Legal Services Act in October. He told The Lawyer in February 2009 that that would give it the economies of scale to compete with new entrants to the profession.
So far the company’s branding is featured on 170 high street firms, with further openings planned.
In October last year Holt told The Lawyer he was in talks with several top 100 firms that are considering signing up to the franchise (7 October 2010).
Holt was unavailable for comment.
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Readers' comments (32)
James Hayden | 14-Nov-2011 3:38 pm
I just been in to WH Smiths and seen a QS legal access point. I think it's all bit embarrassing. I stood looking at the cards listening to a woman discussing her affairs. I found out her name, her address, the issues she was facing, eg a franchise going bankrupt, I heard details on the franchise. It's really poor. I wanted to pull her to one side and tell her what I found out about her, and explained the confidential issues that this service is in breach of. Hopefully most will decide that it's quite a bad idea and if they really need a solicitor, look one up on the internet, or find someone who can recommend a firm. QS is just a brand, it doesn't mean those solicitors who are not part of it are inferior to those branded by QS. After all every law firm regulated by the law society.
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Sophie Johnson | 19-Mar-2012 11:56 pm
In response to your comments I would like to say that I work at a QualitySolicitors firm and also stand at the WHSmith stand offering people legal advice and the people that I have talked to have actually been happy about the fact that we are there as we can clarify facts that people are unsure about. And as for the response about 'middle class' people I can ensure you that as part of the SRA everything that you say is given is the strictest confidence and so I can assure you your 'neighbours' would be unaware of our conversation. I would also like to point out the fact that when I am standing there people try and 'run' away from me as fast as they could as they think I am trying to sell them something well it is a FREE conversation helping the innocent and vunerable people
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