Co-operative Legal Services leads the way on ABS
Co-operative Legal Services (CLS) this week announced its intention to be one of the first businesses to submit an application to become an ABS.
The announcement follows confirmation from the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) that it will become an ABS licensing authority from 23 December and will begin accepting ABS applications on 3 January 2012.
The SRA expects to announce the first successful applicants in the second half of February. SRA chief executive Antony Townsend says: “This is a milestone that we have been working towards for nearly two years.”
Eddie Ryan, managing director of CLS, says: “The Legal Services Act will change the way in which legal services are delivered in England and Wales and we are looking forward to playing a leading role in the new era.
“We believe that the presence of The Co-operative’s trusted brand and values, together with a combination of first-class products and services, will provide customers with greater accessibility to legal advice and better value for money.
“We are working extremely hard with the Solicitors Regulation Authority in preparation for the introduction of ABSs.”
Law firms that have expressed an interest in becoming ABSs include Irwin Mitchell and Everyman Legal.
