Richard Moorhead, Professor of Law at Cardiff University, has been appointed to an expert advisory group to help ensure legal services meet consumer needs.
The expert advisory group will advise the Legal Services Consumer Panel on the creation of its Consumer Welfare Index. The index is expected to form the basis of an annual “consumer health check” to see whether the market delivers good, affordable and accessible legal services.
Professor Moorhead said: “The legal services market is about to change dramatically. Those changes are designed to lower cost and improve choice but they also need to ensure quality of legal services. I am delighted to be part of the group advising the Panel on how to ensure the consumer interests is at the heart of these reforms.”
Legal service reforms have removed complaints processes from the legal profession and will soon open up the market by allowing non-lawyers to invest-in, own and run legal service providers. As a result lawyers are likely to face much stiffer competition. Alternative providers are poised to enter the market alongside ‘compare the market’ style referral sites which will put lawyer costs under greater scrutiny but also seek to improve their quality. A key issue will be whether this genuinely increases quality without damaging access to justice.
Professor Moorhead added: “It’s an exciting time. The traditional ways of lawyers are likely to be challenged by new practices from well-resourced, consumer-focused businesses with brands to promote and protect. We will see very different approaches to accessing and providing legal services. However, we need to ensure that this drive for profit does not compromise the interests of clients, be they individuals or small businesses.”
