Traditional law firms are frightened. Their world is going to end - like Virgin's trains, their gravy versions are hitting the buffers and they'll soon be down the pawnshops with their dictation machines.
This was because until last year, solicitors were like the post office, and had one of the few monopolies left, managing to escape the hand of Margaret Thatcher's (and subsequent Conservative governments) reforms. Following the breaking of this monopoly where only lawyers could own law firms, they were told that firms such as Lidl and Poundland were going to offer legal services. To stave off disaster, some came up with cunning plans, the like of which Baldrick would be proud, focussing on the word "Quality".
One enterprising chap came up with the idea of black and purple letterhead and included the word "Quality Solicitors" on it. They convinced a bunch of solicitors to buy this letterhead and even WHSmith thought would be a good idea to put some of this letterhead in their shops so people would buy legal services along with the newspapers and notepads.
Not wishing to be left behind, the Law Society then came up with a similarly cunning plan called the Conveyancing Quality Scheme whereby solicitors filled in some forms, paid them a fee and they could put a logo on their letterhead as well. Firms that signed up to the scheme apparently had to adhere to the principles of treating other firms with respect, following the Law Society's new rules on running conveyancing cases and generally acting in a helpful manner.
Sadly, recent experience with firms that belong to these Letterhead Schemes have been some way away from what we would call quality. Beligerent, rude, bullying and extraordinarily inefficient would be more appropriate. Sadly, we don't think that these attributes make such an attractive tagline as simply, Quality.
However, the fundemental problem with these Letterhead Schemes is that there are no sanctions against the firms that breach the rules. Once a firm has got its letterhead printed, then there is nothing that can be done, other than for clients and estate agents who have to suffer working with them, highlight their shortcomings and do their utmost to ensure that future business does not go to them.
We would urge any client considering using a Quality Letterhead scheme firm to check their references before assuming that because they can spell the word Quality and have put in on their envelopes, doesn't necessarily mean that they understand what it actually involves.
