Can You Afford Not to Invest in Lexcel Accreditation?

Lexcel accreditation has been around since 1998, and these days it’s pretty much expected that most law firms will have it. Not only does it show that you’re dedicated to providing best practice and are compliant with the requirements of the Standard – it’s also a clear indicator that you’re a trusted legal firm. So, you can’t really afford to be without it.

During a Lexcel assessment, your practice is evaluated against a set of key areas. Below, we discuss some of these in more detail, and highlight how they can lead to crucial benefits for your firm.

• Risk management

It goes without saying that cybersecurity is a growing threat, especially to legal firms. If you don’t already, the Lexcel Standard states you should have Cyber Essentials certification, which will help protect your business against cyber attacks.

The ‘risk management’ part of the accreditation focuses more specifically on managing any risk (such as cyber security), and maintaining operations in the event of a breach. It also aids with minimising damage to your reputation, as well as ensuring continuity through conflict handling and risk assessment data analysis.

• Financial management

Supplying documentary evidence of your financial management procedures, such as the annual budget, income, expenditure and balance sheet, is the subject of this area. Your methods for effectively billing clients and managing any debts will be evaluated, as well as the way you handle financial transactions. In meeting these criteria, you’ll experience rewards like increased profitability and reduced operational waste.

• People management

Your workforce’s learning and development is key, as is how you provide and evaluate relevant training. Assessors need examples of the ways you value your employees, and attract and retain staff through the right recruitment, selection and progression. Likewise, you’ll demonstrate procedures for handing over work in the event of a team member leaving the company. A Lexcel assessment also looks at performance management, whistleblowing policies, and flexible working arrangements.

• File and case management

Here, your documented procedures for distributing, monitoring and discharging activities are in the spotlight. This area covers safeguarding specific information, and identifying, tracing and storing documents. It also details your method of progressing matters, as well as your system for using barristers, expert witnesses and other external advisers. Ultimately, you’ll be able to better the level of service you deliver, and hold a competitive advantage.

• Client care

Key benefits of client care are ensuring a consistent and high level of service, plus boosting customer satisfaction and retention. This area puts the focus on enquiry handling and confidentiality protection, helps you see what should be communicated to clients in writing, and what records need to be kept. Overall, you’ll establish an effective complaints handling procedure, and a way of monitoring customer satisfaction.

Gain Lexcel accreditation with Centre for Assessment

If you’d like to experience the benefits of Lexcel, look no further. Centre for Assessment is a licensed body with many specialist assessors located across the UK.

Once you’ve gained accreditation, you’ll be recorded on the Law Society’s solicitor database as holding the Standard. And you’ll join our previous clients who have gone on to increase brand and market share, while promoting equality, diversity and inclusion.

To learn more about how we can help you achieve excellence in legal practice and client care, speak to our team today on 0161 237 4080 or email sales@centreforassessment.co.uk