'Super law firm' launches in Leicester
Leicester-based ‘super law firm’ QualitySolicitors has received hundreds of applications from independent law firms across the country, bidding to operate under the legal brand's banner. Chief executive Craig Holt told Insider the business aims to have a presence in every major UK town and city by October 2011, when the legal services market will be deregulated allowing organisations including banks and supermarkets to offer legal advice.
Established in January 2009 by Holt and fellow director Saleem Arif, QualitySolicitors hopes to take advantage of this new legal era.
The deregulation was introduced by the Legal Services Act and has been dubbed "Tesco Law", although the supermarket has expressed little interest in the legal sector.
So far, 55 firms have been selected from across the country to take on the brand name and logo.
"Our ultimate aim is to ensure we have total UK coverage," said Holt, a barrister with a family law specialism.
Once selected, firms pay QualitySolicitors a fee, Holt explained.
He said: "Firms pay a fee which is then used to market QualitySolicitors. For example, through our TV advert which is voiced by Amanda Holden and is showing on Monday during Coronation Street and News at Ten."
QualitySolicitors anticipates having 250 to 300 locations by October 2011 and Holt said: "The legal market is going to totally transform over the next couple of years. We will ensure going to a QualitySolicitors branch for legal matters will be as familiar and easy as calling into a well-known bank or opticians."
He added: "By providing a recognisable and trusted brand name, we will end the need for the time-consuming and often stressful, task of having to choose between lots of different local firms."
Holt added that a firm's attitude was “crucial” to its success when bidding to become part of the QualitySolicitors brand.
"The typical profile is £2m to £5m in turnover but size is typically commensurate with the size of location covered and there is no prerequisite as to size – the quality and ethos of the firm is the crucial factor."
