UK Law Society Wary Over Halifax Legal Solutions

by Robin Pilgrim, LawAndTax-News.com, London

10 November 2006

The UK's Law Society has urged caution in the liberalisation of the legal services market following the launch, late last month, of Halifax Legal Solutions.

Halifax Legal Solutions aims to provide access to everyday legal products like wills and expert legal advice in the UK, and has been dubbed by its parent company, the HBOS Group, "the first of its kind by a major high street financial services provider".

Customers using the service will pay an annual membership fee of GBP89.00. Membership will give them unlimited access to all services either online or via a dedicated telephone legal advice service staffed by a team of solicitors, barristers and other qualified professionals.

Services available through Halifax Legal Solutions include:

• Will preparation, including updates;
• 24 hour helpline providing legal advice;
• A qualified legal team can review and approve all Wills and documents prepared using the service;
• An ID theft resolution service;
• A searchable web based law guide; and
• Discounted conveyancing.

The Group explained at the time of the launch that:

"Halifax is well placed to leverage its position as a high street financial services provider. The Group has a relationship with two out of every five UK households. Working in partnership with established service providers, this market represents a significant organic growth opportunity for the Group."

However, commenting on the initiative, Desmond Hudson, Law Society chief executive, observed that:

”Telephone and online advice can provide a good starting point, but people must see their solicitor for face-to-face advice in more complex and sensitive cases. There are some horror stories of people being given woeful service and dreadful advice by people who are not solicitors and have little or no legal training, such as unregulated will writers."

”Legal advisers working for banks, building societies and supermarkets who are not solicitors may be more interested in selling their company’s financial services products. The rules governing solicitors ensure that their advice is totally independent and in the client’s best interests. Let’s hope the Halifax has learnt lessons from its recent credit card fiasco which left consumers so disappointed and frustrated.”

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