12 January 2015

BPIF first Trade Association to own a law firm

Changes in the legal world over the last few years have greatly widened the permitted methods of the provision of legal services so that any organisation that passes the stringent tests set by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) can set up as a law firm.

The BPIF has now completed those tests and is fully licensed and ready to launch a new entity, BPIF Legal Ltd, which will operate as the BPIF's own law firm.  It will be staffed by solicitors who are employees of the Trade Association and who will offer a range of legal services dealing with employment and commercial issues.

The legal services offered will be at competitive rates, and always on a fixed fee basis.  Anne Copley, Head of Legal, points out "The main bugbear when considering using a solicitor is the 'dripping roast' nature of the relationship so that the client has no clear idea of the fees they may incur.  We will completely remove that uncertainty.

As industry-specific lawyers, we have always been the advisers of choice for our members, but were restricted in how we could deliver our services.  That is now set to change and I am looking forward to the new challenges promised by this development."

Dale Wallis, Membership Director, said "I am very pleased that we are now in a position to push ahead with our plans for innovative delivery of commercial legal services to all our members."

BPIF CEO, Charles Jarrold said "The BPIF's existing expert legal team will now be able to apply their highly relevant sector experience in helping our members, in a manner that they were not allowed to previously.  We've had to meet extremely stringent criteria to be able to do this, so its tangible recognition of the professionalism and forward thinking that is a hallmark of the Association.  A recent study[1] indicated that SME's are losing out through a lack of access to relevant cost effective legal advice, costing an estimated £14,000 per event, so this will be of real value to our members.''

BPIF Legal Plus member Barry Curryer, Operations Director at BCQ, said "I have been very impressed by the BPIF legal services over the years, and have never quite understood the restrictions placed upon Anne Copley and her team.  Being able to use lawyers with a profound understanding of my own industry is of huge benefit, and I am very pleased that I will now be able to work more closely with them."

Benefits to printers are:

1. Industry-specific lawyers with years of understanding of the industry

2. Fixed fees so clients will know at the outset exactly how much legal representation will cost

3. Straightforward practical advice geared towards the client's own business

4. Access to lawyers in a way which removes the unaddressed legal need within the industry

[1] In Need of Advice? Findings of a Small Business Legal Needs Benchmarking Survey by Professor Pascoe Pleasance and Dr Nigel J Balmer June 2014  https://research.legalservicesboard.org.uk/wp-content/media/In-Need-of-Advice-report.pdf