What is HighStreetLawyer Workshare?

HighStreetLawyer.com is a support services organisation for small to medium law firms assisting them in a variety of areas including marketing, training, strategy, procurement and networking.

HSL Workshare is our exclusive social networking platform where member firms share ideas, problems, solutions and work. They can also promote their services and procure services from other firms and our preferred suppliers. Sign up for FREE to find out more

It’s where we deliver tips, advice and training to our member firms and it’s where our preferred suppliers promote their services.

·         one of the great things about something like HSL is that we can and hopefully will bounce ideas off each other, just as you would with colleagues in a large law firm.

            GH, Gateshead

·         it’s good sharing info and ideas on here. I'm also now in touch with a selection of people I trust.

RF, Sheffield

·         I hope to collaborate and work with you all on this excellent platform.
I'm a firm believer that there is more to be gained from sharing than having a silo mentality.

            MS, Welwyn Garden City

Connect with people

The more people you are connected with, the more people can see, like and comment on your posts.

Sending an invite is easy. Just click on the “connect” button.  Sending a short message to introduce yourself when you connect. Helps to build relationships and trust.

Join Groups

HSL Workshare is made up of groups. There are groups for different practice areas. These are OPEN groups. Anyone can join.

OPEN Groups are also used for the HSL Preferred suppliers. To keep the site free from blatant advertising, suppliers maintain groups where they discuss their products, services and any special offers.

Strategic groups are OPEN or CLOSED depending on their nature. To join a CLOSED group your membership of it must be relevant and approved by the site administrator.

Promote yourself

There are a number of ways to promote yourself and your law firm on HSL Workshare

Featured firm  - each week one firm is our featured firm, their content is publicised and commented on by others. They are promoted on all HSL social media accounts;  twitter, linked in, blog

Ambassadors – Ambassadors are responsible for maintaining activity in a specific group. This is a great way to steer discussions to topics that promote the work that you wish to attract

Your profile – keep your profile up to date and include a picture and contact details to make it easier for others to connect.

Keep sharing and growing the network

Invite colleagues in your firm to join the debate on HSL Workshare. Everyone in your firm is automatically whitelisted.

Invite trusted colleagues in other firms who can add value to our network. Their invite requires the approval from the site administrator so only invite GOOD law firms with people willing to share and contribute

To find out more join us in Manchester on 11 June at Old Trafford and hear from the founder of HighStreetLawyer.com Gary Yantin and a great line up of speakers, all focussed on helping small law firms thrive not just survive. 

http://www.highstlawyerservices.com/#!hsl-strategy-day-11-june-2014/c1q8o 

What happened at HSL's Strategy Day

Wednesday 12 March saw our first High Street Lawyer Strategy Day of 2014. Delegates came from Yorkshire, Devon, Cornwall. Essex, Wales and London. Ideas were shared, problems solved and the general theme from the short interview that I conducted with delegates was that the quality of the discussions was unlike anything available to the owners and staff of small law firms anywhere else. Our fay was kindly hosted by DUAL Asset Underwriting and we look forward to launching our next project with them very soon.

Our day started with an update on the Professional Indemnity Insurance market by Stephen Levey of St Giles. It was well reported last year that over 130 firms closed due to an inability to obtain insurance cover. The reality, we learned, is that many more firms may also have failed to report and the real situation could be far worse. With the closure of the assigned risks pool and concerns around rated versus unrated insurers the situation for small law firms is far from clear for this coming year. Resisting any crystal ball gazing for the coming year, Stephen instead gave practical advice to delegates about how to get the best possible PII deal.

The next session focussed on marketing on a shoestring budget, which for most small law firms typifies the double edged sword that they face daily. Spend time and money on marketing or do the work that you have in front of you. Spend no time or money on marketing and there will be very little work in front of you. Joe Reevy of Words 4 Business gave an insight into network marketing and how to work your existing contacts, turning them into advocates for your business to generate more work.

Neil Thorogood of Lloyds Bank told us how small law firms can keep their bank managers happy. It doesn't involve boozy lunches. It involves sensible business planning, strong financial management and honesty about any problems your business might face. Neil and his colleagues are all Lexcel qualified so they understand law firms and the multiple pressures that they face.

A COLP (Compliance Officer for Legal Practice) is expected to spend up to 30% of their time on compliance activities. How that leaves any time left for fee earning is not clear. What was clear from Stephen Madge's talk was that the regimes surrounding compliance for small law firms are of procedures and preparedness. Can your firm demonstrate that it has systems in place so that it has the confidence to show that it is compliant? Stephen and his colleagues at Principle 8 advise law firms of various sizes on compliance procedure.

Our delegates other benefit from the day was Networking. Although our members meet virtually on our online platform, nothing beats a face to face meet up. Here are some of the comments I received at the end of the day.

"I really enjoyed the HighStreetLawyer Strategy Day, there is a bright future for high street firms after what I heard today."

"...a community feel and a trading of ideas that you don't get at big events"

"the presentations were fantastic. I have a renewed energy and ideas for my business"

"Very illuminating and slightly frightening"

"very useful in respect of day to day practice" 

"Excellent day, met some interesting people"

"Fantastic to meet the people we connect with on HSL Workshare"

"Delighted we came here today"

Find out more about High Street Lawyer by joining us on HSL Workshare https://cloud.workshare.com/highstreetlawyer.com/signup?1

2013 - A challenge ahead

2012 not only saw the first full year of the Legal Services Act and the launch of a number of new legal service providers but also the implementation of an entirely new compliance regime. 2013 brings the introduction of a ban on referral fees payable by lawyers to the introducers of work. We asked a select number of small law firms to participate in a survey at the end of December and the results have helped us to form our opinion on the challenges that face them for 2013. The survey is still available at http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/RWD77JF

Every firm has by now had to nominate it's COLP and COFA. Such compliance officers will have to deal with Outcomes Focussed Regulations. Where previously a set of hard and fast rules governed the compliance of law firms, partners now have to interpret guidelines and make judgements of their own decisions. It is unsurprising therefore that about 250 firms have not yet nominated their COLP/COFA before the 31 December deadline http://www.legalfutures.co.uk/latest-news/hundreds-delinquent-firms-move-closer-colpcofa-action. In our survey, half of our respondents informed us that they were taking on both the COLP and COFA role.

Each week seems to see the launch of a new marketing initiative for legal services. Google backed US company Rocket Lawyer launched in the final quarter of 2012 and it's rival Legal Zoom is also dipping its toes into the UK legal market. Various comparison sites now exist and there is now of course TV advertising of legal services.

In 2012, more firms joined the Law Society's Conveyancing Quality Scheme and various lenders have now made CQS accreditation a requirement for membership of their panel. Without CQS, firms will simply not be able to act for certain lenders. Over a third of firms we surveyed admitted that they had to turn work away this year as they were not on a certain panel. From April 1 this year, firms without CQS will not be permitted on Santander's panel. Of the firms we surveyed only 40% had received CQS accreditation, although a further 40% intended to apply.

100% of our respondents would consider applying for accreditation of a probate scheme if The Law Society were to introduce one. Although firms are not exactly embracing these schemes there is a reluctant acceptance that to protect their ability to work, firms will have to carefully consider membership of as many schemes as possible.

Small, successful high street firms who wish to remain as such need to use the coming year to capitalise on their strengths and remove the effect of their weaknesses. Ironically, the fundamental strength of being a small law firm is paradoxically also its weakness. Because of their size small law firms have great local knowledge, years of experience often having acted for families or businesses for many years and the potential to give great customer service and be very caring towards their clients. Conversely, their ability to compete in marketing terms with larger organisations is stymied, even ridiculed by their size. With the same compliance regime for every firm, regardless of size, small firms will use up a far higher proportion of potential fee earning time with management and compliance issues. Marketing budgets of small law firms are dwarfed by those of large new market entrants. The only effective way to counter such competition is for smaller firms to take advantage of some kind of collective marketing, deciding first on whether social media, TV or price comparison is the forum to attack.

Of our surveyed firms, almost 70% had a Twitter and a Linked In account. 60% are actively sending enewsletters and approximately 40% are still sending brochures. At this rate, there must be a huge amount of material being sent by small firms to potential customers. How do firms distinguish themselves, especially when a lot of the material is fairly generic?

My prediction for 2013 is that lots of small law firms will find the challenges too much to face and will look for the chance to be taken over or leave the market. Small law firms should focus this year on existing client bases and not blow in the wind trying to attract new clients. Getting to grips with the effect as well as the cost of compliance will also be a great benefit. My hope is that small law firms play to their strengths and realise the great head start that that they have on new market entrants but accept the fact that that reducing cost bases and outsourcing back office functions may be necessary and productive. My new years resolution is to work with the firms that wish to remain strong, profitable and competitive.

Gary Yantin 
Gary Yantin is the founder and Managing Director of HighStreetLawyer.com, the consumer facing legal brand and umbrella group for small high street law firms. 

Freedom of Choice? Freedom of Solicitors

As soon as Janice walks through the door she knows it’s the one. The spectacular view of the garden from the master bedroom, the sparkling marble kitchen worktops she has dreamt of, and the playroom which is perfect for the kids. All she needs to do is speak to her solicitor and he’ll sort everything out. The one in the office round the corner. The one who helped her buy her first flat, wrote her will, and sorted out her cousin’s divorce. But wait, she needs a mortgage from HSBC, and her local solicitor isn’t on their list.

What list? Well, HSBC have recently revealed their plans to reduce the number of solicitors on their residential mortgage conveyancing panel. Usually, when moving house, a conveyancing solicitor will manage both the mortgage documents and those concerning the transfer of the property. HSBC’s decision means that the mortgage part of the transaction can now only be handled by one of the 43 members of their conveyancing panel. Many high street solicitors are up in arms about the decision, lobbying the Law Society to protect them from this action which they believe may put them out of business.

The Chief Executive of the Law Society, Des Hudson has encouraged solicitors to write to their MPs to complain about the HSBC’s ‘heavy handed and arrogant decision’, but HighStreetLawyer believes this is missing the point. Whilst such restrictions may adversely affect the legal industry, the biggest loser in the equation is the consumer. 

Buyers wishing to take out a mortgage with HSBC must use a solicitor from their panel for the mortgage conveyance, but are given the option to use their own solicitor for the conveyance of the property. Using a panel solicitor for the entire transaction will be highly incentivised by the bank, and many may be unaware that using another solicitor is even a possibility. Furthermore, customers choosing their own conveyancing lawyer will have to pay twice for this time-consuming ‘choice’, since the work is ordinarily done by one lawyer, and many checks will have to be repeated. Taking into account the cost of buying a house in the current market, and the proportion of people struggling to get onto the property ladder, this option is unlikely to appeal.

Limiting the approved conveyancers to 43 flies in the face of everything the Legal Services Act sought to achieve; competition; access to justice and better service for consumers. HSBC’s decision means that property transfers will be done by a select few legal companies, impeding consumer choice. A home is the most important and costly purchase most people will ever make, so they want to use a solicitor they know and trust. For conveyancing, locality and reliability is key. A little research into Countrywide, the administrators of HSBC’s panel gives the impression of a faceless property machine; impersonal and remote.

As if restricting borrowers to a narrow list of solicitors wasn’t enough, other worrying issues arise. HSBC have chosen Countrywide as the agents of their conveyancing panel; responsible for choosing the remaining firms and distributing work. Unsurprisingly, Countrywide’s own licenced conveyancing firm has made it onto the panel, creating an obvious conflict of interest which has been strongly criticised by the Law Society. Although Countrywide has not disclosed its selection criteria for the panel, it seems that small, local firms will not be chosen. With such a limited number of solicitors, it is anticipated that only larger firms able to churn out conveyances in bulk will be included. Is this what a buyer wants?

The Legal Services Act intended to champion consumer rights and access to legal advice. Banks requiring conveyancing solicitors to be accredited in some way is an understandable precaution, but anything more than that creates a bias which restricts consumer choice. Buying a house is an important and life-changing decision, and the consumer should be put first. What we should be asking is not ‘How will this affect solicitors?’ but ‘How will this affect Janice and other consumers?’ 

By Judy Benmayer of HighStreetLawyer.com