The Legal Services Act has opened the doors for lawyers to spread their wings and deliver services which have been previously been done by others. Many have seen this as a threat which has been echoed by the recent article in the Law Society gazette http://www.lawgazette.co.uk/news/top-100-firms-concerned-legal-services-act-reforms
As the traditional way of solicitors billing by reference to charging hourly rates is constantly being challenged by clients who simply want a fixed price at the outset, lawyers have changed the way in which they are able to provide their services and what they are to charge for them. However peace of mind for a client is something that it is difficult to place a price tag on.
Take for example the position of a number of our expat clients who are living and working overseas. They have often left behind relatives some of which are elderly and vulnerable in terms of requiring increasing levels of care not just of a personal level but also of a professional nature.
Mogers have developed over the past 20 years or more a Concierge Service for the elderly which provides for the professional nature of those services and access to a significant network of contacts to ensure the personal levels of care are also addressed appropriately and quickly.
What is the cost of the peace of mind that can be given to the expat of having someone visit Mum or Dad on a regular basis to build up a rapport, so that the small and subtle changes may be picked up over time to enable honest feedback to be given to the expat overseas. Regular telephone calls from overseas can keep contact but quite often more can be gleaned as to an individual’s welfare from appearance of not just the individual but also of their surroundings which can be passed on to the expat.
Decisions such as whether Mum or Dad needs to downsize or move from their home to a Home can be considered and discussed perhaps more openly by lawyers than family members. But the reassurance of knowing that once a week/month someone will pop around to see Mum or Dad when the distance is too great to be able to return often, we have been told our service is priceless.
This cannot be done through the internet or online. A personal service is required by the vast majority of individuals and professionals of all types are feeling the credit crunch of a much more commercially aware client.
Whilst “Tesco law” and the Legal Services Act may be seen as a threat to many, there are equally opportunities for lawyers to expand their services as we link and join other service providers which for years may have been simply good contacts.
For more information on the Concierge service for expats visit http://www.expatlaw.co.uk/elderly-relative-support
Mark Sage Blogs 