Finding the Right Help in the UK

It's a daunting task often to have to approach anyone about personal matters such as many legal issues tend to be about. So trying to gauge the best firms using the usual tactics such as word of mouth or online reviews is even more of a challenge. To help better understand how to research UK law firms and the information/reviews available to people on the web we've created a range of editorial articles related to many firms. Large or small, specialist or general:

Divorce Coaching in the UK: Thus making the process take less time and cost. If you already have a strong support system and feel in control of the process, you might not need a coach. < li>
  • Individuals in high-conflict situations – if communication with an ex-partner is difficult or...


    Farah Family Law: Our 1to1Legal staff currently mirrors society well, with half of them being divorced. If a solicitor is only handling one or two family law matters per year out of a larger case range, it is unlikely they have come across most issues that could arise. When it comes to...


    Marsden Rawsthorn Solicitors Ltd: So what are people saying about them online? class="infoquote "took my case very seriously and has spent a lot of time working hard to resolve it" "very knowledgeable and understanding" "professional and excellent communication" "response time from the first pho...


    Garden Stirling Burnet: This is especially true when it comes to property transactions. Luckily when it comes to property matters, it's normally very easy to tell if a firm deals in the buying and selling of residential or commercial properties as a specialism. Sometimes the words firms use to ma...


    England & Derbyshire Solicitors: That's not actually as easy to answer as you might think. To avoid this there are a few things you can check . The SRA is the Solicitors Regulation Authority and you can see - this firm is https: www.sra.org.uk consumers register organisation ?sraNumber=623390" definitel...

    Nero Legal Solicitors: So what other things can you look for when trying to pick out the best legal professional for you? Often what a firm focuses on can reveal differences between them. With every firm we write about there is normally something that has stood out to us. Always ring the o...


    MPGQS: In that regard, the legal industry has made some great strides in consumer information . They assume a lengthy procedure and high costs. So they really should be given a bit more weight than regular consumer testimonials. These are businesses who are willing to have their ...


    Crockett Solicitors: However we would not suggest putting as much stock in founding dates. So what are people saying on those forums? class="infoquote "still helping me to this day" "very professional, helpful and efficient" "made the process less stressful through excellent communi...


    Landlord Eviction Solicitor in Southport, Lancs: So what can you look out for to help distinguish between the vast numbers of legal practices out there? How can you find the best balance of options to match your needs? First, note that in the UK there is a difference between a 'lawyer' and a 'solicitor'. If you get...


    Cook Law in Wirral: So if a law firm has several offices, you have to look up each one individually if using Google. This firm's official website is www.cook-law.co.uk with www.cooklaw.co.uk and both .com versions of the web address being used by other lawyer offices. But they tend not to run...


    TWB Probate Solicitors Ltd: We would recommend using the contact information listed on the TWB Probate Solicitors' website. You may also see solicitor Howard Brown registered with a company called The Will Bureau (www.thewillbureau.co.uk). This is to let people realise and choose from more options ...


    Brodies Solicitors LLP: The Law Society of England & Wales will show you all office locations, contact information, and even languages spoken at the firm. Rather than simply showing you all reviews for a company, they may show zero reviews when you first type in the firm's name. Some firms m...


    PCS Legal Conveyancing: We've also seen buyers leave negative reviews on the seller's solicitor, which simply does not happen with other types of legal matter. The firm's branding seems solid around the name PCS Legal Ltd based in Essex with the official site at www.pcslegal.co.uk whi...

    Dispute Resolver Consultancy: For ADR matters this is not as crucial but you never know what scammers are going to come up with next so stay vigilant. However it was difficult to find any on the public review boards such as Google or Trustpilot. There has been a rise in the use of alternative dispu...


    CWJ Solicitors & Notaries: There are also mentions of Clarkson Wright & Jakes Notaries. With so much sales language to wade through, what should you be looking for? class="infoquote "CWJ is a leading regional firm of Solicitors in Kent serving private individuals, businesses and organisations...


    Baker Hardman Ltd: While many firms provide customer testimonials on their website, most people tend to ignore them. class="infoquote "We are here for comprehensive premier choice for business & personal legal services. class="infoquote "full authorization and regulation from the...


    Solidaire Law Ltd: class="infoquote "friendly, no hassle, and fast, with no hidden costs" "professional and easy to talk to" "I was well informed and comfortable throughout the process" "very thorough and efficient when handling my employment case"< div> The first port of ca...


    Defank Solicitors Croydon: class="infoquote "Our firm is proud to serve the London community and beyond, delivering exceptional legal solutions"< div> A quick note on navigation. As you go through the hundreds of law firm websites available for legal services in the UK, you've probably no...


    Large & Gibson Solicitors: class="infoquote "Meet your lawyer face-to-face and speak directly to staff familiar with your matter."< div> One of the main reasons we recommend checking out a firm on the law society's site, though, is that they also display the qualification dates of any sta...


    HCR Law Solicitors: HCR Legal LLP is the latter. There is a wide range of law firms to choose from when seeking legal help. Because on the site it states their Worcester, Birmingham, Hereford and Ross-on-Wye local offices specialise in this area of personal injury law. As you can see they are ...


    Horsley Holdings Ltd: https: solicitors.lawsociety.org.uk organisation people 595853 horsley-holdings-ltd?Solicitors=True" For Horsley Law< a> their main solicitor is listed as Ashley Cocker who qualified in 2012. So where can you regularly get useful information about lawyers and legal prac...


    Law Solicitors: For a start, most of them look the same with the same sales language, promises, and sometimes even the same images of people smiling and shaking hands. It's user-side offerings far exceed anything it's counterparts currently show. If you see a website claiming 'established ...


    Eve Lake Conveyancing: class="infoquote "Reliable Conveyancing & Legal Services based in the Hope Valley, Derbyshire. There are a lot of terms to contend with when searching for help with legal matters. If they are not on your mortgage lender's panel then there could be an extra fee require...


    Amy King Solicitor: Certainly when confronted with a very friendly 5-year experienced solicitor after just speaking to an incredibly curt 40-year veteran - you will be tempted to use the less experienced but more approachable person. There is no hard and fast rule. It is HTTPS secure for sub...


    Heritage Park Family Law: But if you've been looking around for family law legal services for a while today, you'll have already noticed that all firms (specialist or not) make great claims about themselves and their abilities. There are now specialists for Immigration, Motor Offences, and eve...


    McCarthy and Co Solicitors: But searches for variations of the firm's name on it's own will provide no local business information. class="infoquote "we bring over 30 years of sterling legal experience to each of our cases"< div> . So the phrase 'award-winning' is not of itself meaningful. So wh...


    Oakwood Property Solicitors: Those were some snippets from the firm's own website where they list several such testimonials. However, our poll a few years back indicated that only 9% of people trusted company provided testimonials. that they are out of date, inexperienced, and inefficient) those descri...


    A.C.S.L. Solicitors: So if anyone knows about law firm's websites, we're surely in that list . Always make sure you are on the correct website and never discuss payment details via email.. That's a big plus in our opinion and rarer than you might think. There are other sources you can us...


    Sternberg Reed Solicitors: It seems that no matter what a firm is, they can usually spin it to sound as though they are the best option. However, we see many small firms clearly stating they are small with pride. Finding a product you want online is relatively simple. class="infoquote "W...


    Eatons Solicitors Ltd: We don't think the age of the brand should sway you. Flicking through the https: solicitors.lawsociety.org.uk organisation offices 389365 eatons-solicitors" staff of this firm< a> you can see solicitors who have joined the profession in every one of the last five de...


    WYM Legal Solicitors: You can usually check this using websites such as The Law Society for that area or https: www.sra.org.uk consumers register organisation ?sraNumber=627673" the Solicitors Regulation Authority< a>. But 'leading' is one of those words that doesn't really give you a specific...


    Thomas & Thomas Solicitors: We have often praised The Law Society of England & Wales for their excellent user resources . How on earth can you decide which firm is right for you? There are some resources you can use and we'll use the following firm's website as an example: class="infoquote "W...


    Wolf Law Ltd: Sometimes the brief is to generate informative articles to educate consumers on a specific product or service. So the information doesn't actually help you separate this firm from the thousands of others you could use. We don't recommend using this as a deciding facto...


    SG Murphy & Co Ltd: As we've pointed out in other articles, firms that are involved in buying and selling properties tend to have lower star ratings simply because hardly anyone thinks their sale is going fast enough and each side is always blaming the other. Although the firm is called SG Murp...


    Walker Foster Ltd: This immediately gives the impression of a large, well-established firm. When looking these up though, Google has made some changes. The Law Society of England & Wales has an amazing site rivalling anything their counterpart organisations currently offer. For an example ...


    Harrisons Thames Valley Solicitors LLP: So seeing any property firm with a star rating in the 4s such as Harrisons' is unusual. class="infoquote "Harrison's Solicitors underwent rigorous assessment by the Law Society to secure Conveyancing Quality Scheme Accreditation (CQS), the mark of excellence for the ...


    Girlings Personal Injury Claims Ltd: The second guarantees you won't have to pay anything if your case wins. But most importantly they list the areas of law covered and qualification dates of each solicitor registered with them. As I said, this became common practice after the law changes in the 90s which str...


    UVS Law Ltd: Failure to meet the requirements for entry clearance may result in the denial of leave to enter on arrival. The Immigration Rules specify that an applicant for entry clearance must be outside the UK at the time of application. For a barrister this can be a bit more difficult...


    Kee Solicitors Family Law: That can certainly be a bit more helpful than the highly rose-tinted and hand-picked testimonials some firms choose to post on their site. 'kee solicitors in aberdeen'. So we know a lot of the changes that have occurred and Family Law representation has seen it's fair shar...


    Waterstone PS: But as mentioned above this firm is typically branded as 'Waterstone Partnership Solicitors' with their official site at www.waterstoneps.com which is https secure. Because although practically every law firm has a website these days, what if the firm you've been recommend...


    Mark Croft Motor Offence: This statement is clear as it means Mark Croft himself has 28 years of experience . They are too busy https: www.dailymail.co.uk news article-12003657 Brisbane-couple-conned-102-000-savings-house-elaborate-scam.html" taking huge amounts of money from house buyers< a>. So...


    EMD Law Solicitors: (Lots of people smiling, looking at paperwork, and the obligatory handshake snapshot.) class="infoquote "We believe that visiting a solicitor should not be a frightening or daunting experience and we do our utmost to put our clients at ease"< div> This snippit f...


    Lyons Law: Some people have https: www.bankofscotland.co.uk securityandprivacy protecting-yourself-from-fraud keep-your-home-safe-mortgage-deposit-scams.html" handed their entire house deposit< a> into a fraudsters bank account. They have a wonderful, free user side offering which...


    Brian Barr Ltd: However some firms are better at client testimonials than others. So what are they saying about this firm on the independent forums? class="infoquote "began work immediately and tirelessly on my behalf for over four years" "nothing was too much trouble and communi...


    Frei Solicitors Ltd: While they are all clearly positive, they are also very few in number. But the thing about https: www.investopedia.com terms h hnwi.asp" high net worth< a> individuals is that they usually have a range of assets all worth more than a regular person's (like everyone workin...


    Drummond and Miller Solicitors: We can't even link you to a page with information, only https: www.lawscot.org.uk find-a-solicitor ?Name=drummond+miller&Postcode=&type=firm" to a search results page< a> which at the time of writing was pushing information off the edges of the mobile device. This is beca...


    Calio Claims by Lindsays: As the rules and regulations and guidelines flew around constantly changing - plus with government, law courts, and regulatory bodies constantly disagreeing with each other - it became easier for law firms to have a separate marketing brand. The official website of the backi...


    EDC Lord Solicitors: The home page provides an overview of the firm's services and areas of expertise, along with a brief introduction to the firm and its philosophy. Make sure you are always on the correct website and never discuss payment details via email. The official site uses only th...


    Nicholson Jones Sutton Solicitors Ltd: It obviously does not mean there is a 200 year old solicitor at the firm jam-packed with experience . Unfortunately there are a limited number of colours, images, and ways to express professionals doing a professional job. Take this one also from the NJS site: class=...


    Cullimore Dutton Solicitors Ltd: The site is also https secure for submitting contact details via their online form. class="infoquote "We believe that consulting a solicitor or financial advisor should be as stress free as possible and from the outset"< div> A quick note on navigation since pr...


    The Law Partnership Ltd: If a firm has only one solicitor on board yet states they handle every case type possible - then it is unlikely they will excel at any of them. So a conveyancing solicitor with a high rating is actually a rarity. Lots of people make mistakes leaving reviews so the be...


    Wilford Smith: This is because the majority of people involved in a property transaction experience problems, delays, and general misery. This is unusual though because the firm deals with Conveyancing. For example, if you see a firm stating they have '40 years experience within the firm' ...


    Foster & Coleman Solicitors: This can be difficult when looking up comments about law firms though. There were some comments available when we looked: class="infoquote "they have made me and my family very happy" "Outstanding service" "comitment to their clients requirements"< div> Bu...


    Wildcat Law Solicitors: That is very rare even now despite Direct Access having been around for over a decade. The official website we link to above is www.wildcatlaw.co.uk which is https secure for submitted your details in the contact form, but www.wildcatlaw.com does not redirect you there. Y...


    LS Legal Solicitors: They even have https: www.youtube.com @lslegalsolicitors6960" multiple vidoes< a> dedicated to the subject on Youtube. If a firm has only 1-2 solicitors but handles every case type under the sun - then it's fair to assume they are not as experienced or up to date as a fi...


    A City Law Firm: Some people have https: todaysconveyancer.co.uk conveyancing-fraud-red-flags " lost tens of thousands of pounds< a> by falling for a single official-looking email that said they needed to suddenly change the payee bank details.. So if you're having trouble finding them b...


    Buchanan & Co Solicitors Ltd: So make sure you are on the correct website and never discuss payments via email. . So what are the independent forums saying? class="infoquote "Professional staff. And they talk normal" "easy to get through to my solicitor and they replied to me promptly" "Put...


    Goldsmith Bowers Solicitors Ltd: The idea being that the older the firm, the more experienced it is. A quick note on navigation with the firm's official website being www.goldsmithbowers.com however www.goldsmithbowers.co.uk does not currently redirect there. Not every firm is upfront about th...


    Guardian Law Ltd: This is all very important to consider though because there are a lot of scams targeting clients of lawyers these days. class="infoquote "We offer fixed, retained or ad-hoc fees, depending on your requirements"< div> . class="infoquote "Get instant acc...


    Backhouse Solicitors Ltd: Because whilst every word in that sentence sounds great - most firms say the exact same thing so it doesn't really help you distinguish one firm from another. You can get a 1-year newbie solicitor from a 200-year-old firm and a 40 year veteran lawyer from a 1-year-old la...


    WH Law Ltd: However if they have seven solicitors and list seven specialist areas of law - that is still a very good choice to go for. Does WH Solicitors have that? The easiest way to check on a firm is to use The Law Society of England & Wales website for firms in those countries. I...


    2 Harcourt Chambers: If you search the usual comment boards such as Google, Trustpilot, or Facebook there may only be a handful of reviews or ratings and they will always be about the actual barrister that handled the case. They do not travel into those official addresses every day for work. ...


    MJV Law Solicitors: We've also seen some sites refer to the firm as MJV & Co Solicitors. They all seem to be relating to the same firm but this is important to keep aware of because this firm deals with property matters which has been the https: www.telegraph.co.uk money katie-investig...


    Bridge McFarland Solicitors: The first means the firm or the solicitor within the firm has been going for at least 40 years. Any claims they make on their site about experience are certainly validated. Not least so because it means they are registered with The Law Society of England & Wales which we hav...


    Woodstock Legal Services Ltd: It's not as if any firm is going to claim the opposite - i.e. However on this occasion we have because they are not just hand-picked and solicited client remarks but actual comments from industry peers who have worked with the firm. With three words 'woodstock', 'legal' and...


    The Lady Barrister: class="infoquote "She is a level 3 OISC Immigration Caseworker and a Level 2 Law Society Immigration and Asylum Caseworker."< div> With barristers being mainly autonomous even when part of a chambers, checking out independent reviews such as on Google, Yelp, o...


    Summerfield Browne: Summerfield Browne are therefore a prime match of what we need on our own law network. This is a very good example of why. So is this firm any different? Obviously we think 'yes' as you can tell from our opener about them being a leading firm using a setup that is ...


    Thaxted Legal Immigration: However the usual security concerns we point out are much less pressing when it comes to immigration specialists because we don't know of any current scams focusing on their clients. We even have a list of the most 'problematic' firms based on the complaints databases...


    Smith & Graham Solicitors: Unfortunately some negative ratings had no comments with them in order to know if the complaint was valid or even about the correct firm. But it actually contains two of the main things we think you should look at when picking a firm. Sadly establishment dates are one of t...


    Brown & Co Solicitors: Plus dozens of review pages both monitored and unmonitored. Our poll from a few years back indicated that only 9% of you trusted testimonials provided by companies on their website. A quick note on navigation due to the number of firms out there with 'brown' in the n...


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