Bradford law firm in forefront of fight against supermarkets

Date: 2010-05-25

A Bradford law firm is spearheading the launch of a new network of solicitors which is being developed to fight off a predicted threat to high street practices from supermarkets offering legal services.

It follows new legislation which from next year will allow major retailers to enter the legal market, creating a so-called ‘Tesco Law' legal market.

Morrish Solicitors will next week re-brand its Broadway offices to become QualitySolicitors Morrish. The firm, which expanded into Bradford last year, is joining 14 other re-branded local law firms to create a new national high street legal ‘superbrand'.

Overall, around 200 local law firms across the UK are expected to join the network and re-brand under the new name.

The move, for the first time, creates a nationally-recognised legal brand sitting alongside banks, opticians and fashion stores in the UK's high streets.

Barrister Craig Holt, chief executive of QualitySolicitors, who will open the new Bradford office on Monday, said: "What the legal market is desperately missing is a recognisable ‘household name' that people can rely on without having to spend hours researching and choosing between dozens of local law firms."

QualitySolicitors plans to open branches in every major town and city within 12 months. Locations will include major shopping centres, and branches will have uniformed customer care staff, extended opening hours, free initial consultations and a range of fixed fee services.

Mr Holt said: "Already, the likes of the Co-op and Halifax are starting to offer legal services. They view the legal market as ‘easy pickings' because of the traditional, stuffy image of a law firm.

"QualitySolicitors' new network of branches will blow that perception away.

"We can do everything they can do in a customer service sense, only better, because our branches are real law firms not supermarkets or banks playing at it."

By Chris Holland