Follow their lead

I was interested to read the legal ombudsman's new guide for anyone considering instructing a lawyer but specifically aimed at older people (see LeO website and box below).

Using a lawyer as you get older: Ten top tips includes advice on how to choose a lawyer, what it costs and what can be expected from the service. The guide also includes a brief glossary of important terms.

After practising for a number of years, it is easy to forget how daunting it can be for anybody, irrespective of their age or background, to seek professional advice. I think the guide is a good reminder of some of the points that may be important to clients and that we, as lawyers and professionals generally, may simply take for granted.

It is also an example of the steps that the legal profession has taken (and continues to take) to 'de-mystify' the legal process and make itself more approachable and accessible to the public.

It would be hard to argue that this is a bad thing, particularly as it will hopefully provide more people greater access to the benefit of legal advice, particularly older people who, as the ombudsman's guide points out, may well be in greater need of ?legal advice.

The legal profession needs to increase its perceived approachability, particularly in relation to individual private clients.

Big business

As anybody practising in the area will know, ?'private client' work has become big business in the last ten years or so. As the regulatory backdrop has changed, numerous new entrants have joined the sector and are pursuing aggressive expansion and advertising strategies.

With research suggesting that the majority of people still do not have a valid will in place, perhaps the market is still not fully tapped.

Many recent additions to the market have the benefit of a familiar brand name behind them, ?which may well be comforting for clients still intimidated by the traditional perception of law firms. They also have the resources to focus on high-profile advertising campaigns.

As such, long-established law firms may have ?to continue adapting to survive and flourish. ?While there is a degree of self-preservation on ?my part, I would argue that there is clearly ample room in the market for both types of business (or, indeed, ABS hybrids) but traditional law firms may need to sharpen up or refresh their client communication strategies.

The legal ombudsman guide is a good ?example of that and arguably symptomatic of the changing market. I hope firms, regardless of size, follow its lead.

Matthew Evans is a partner at Hugh James

He writes the regular vulnerable clients comment in Private Client Adviser