The Legal Services Act 2007 aims to liberalise and regulate legal services in England and Wales, promoting competition and improving legal access.

 

Some legal services are ‘reserved’, which can only be carried out by regulated legal service providers, such as solicitors and barristers.

 

These include:

 

• the right of audience (i.e., the right to act as an advocate in court on behalf of a client); and

 

• the conduct of litigation (i.e., initiating or defending legal proceedings and managing any formalities in such proceedings).

 

However, there is no restriction on who can provide ‘unreserved’ legal services. Legal consultancy firms, such as Firkins Legal Consultancy, do not offer 'reserved' legal services. Instead, we provide 'unreserved' legal services, such as legal advice.

 

A legal consultant is a skilled professional offering specialised legal services based on their expertise. While we do not represent clients in court, we are essential in helping clients address concerns, make informed decisions, and navigate complex legal issues.

 

Legal consultants address specific legal needs or challenges. This flexibility enables law firms, individuals and businesses to access expert knowledge without long-term commitments.

 

We operate without the time and cost constraints of regulated legal service providers, allowing us keep our costs down. This enables us to offer our legal services at more competitive rates than regulated entities.