13 December 2007
In brief
Most consumers are unaware of the practice of referral arrangements, under which solicitors pay to obtain clients or cases, and few understand what the payments are about, according to research by the Solicitors Regulation Authority. The findings of a survey of nearly 1,000 people and focus group sessions found that nearly two-thirds (60%) were not aware of referral arrangements and 68% didn’t understand the process. This led to the practice being viewed with suspicion by consumers, with 40% saying they were concerned about the independence of solicitor’s advice if they knew a referral had been paid.
