Insider Media Limited

Solicitors are being warned they face competition from organisations such as supermarket giant Tesco, which will soon be able to provide legal services for customers under new legislation. Leamington Spa-based solicitor Bernie DeSouza has urged the region’s law firms to develop new skills or face “drastic consequences”.

The warning comes as the government prepares to implement measures under the 2007 Legal Services Act which will open the door for organisations such as supermarket giant Tesco and the AA motoring group to provide legal advice.

DeSouza said that law firms across the West Midlands are facing “one of their toughest fights yet”. He added that it was “crucial” that that they improve their customer service skills or risk losing clients to new, powerful players in the market.

DeSouza, of the Global Coaching Company, said: “Solicitors, more than any other profession, need to develop trust and rapport with clients and there is a big problem there at the moment. If you can’t engage immediately with your client then you are going to struggle.

“It is vital that solicitors at all levels, not just partners, develop the skills they need in order to read people, interact and help both solicitor and client relax and relate in what are often very stressful situations. That will help them to build trust and rapport which are vital if you are to develop a successful, lasting business relationship with that client.”