Tesco is currently finalising the launch of its own legal services range, after calls from Lord Falconer’s for an improvement in the accessibility and affordability of legal advice.
Initially offering low price will writing and storage services, Tesco Legal will expand the offering to include a DIY divorce kit for just over seven pounds, which will end a marriage without the use of a solicitor or legal professional.
The 70 billion a year chain, also has plans to introduce DIY letting agreements and ltd company packs-containing all the appropriate forms required when setting up a limited company. There will also be a Question & Answer service online and a section explaining what all the legal terms mean, both of which will help members of the public make sense of the forms and processes.
Experts have suggested that Tesco Legal Store is the start of things to come and that going forward other high street chains will open their own legal services sections, with some implying there will be an even wider range of services available in this manner, especially after a reform in the rules previously governing law firms.
In July 2009 following the release of a consultation document , lord Falconer hailed the move, dubbed ‘Tesco law’, as a visionary start to many more high street companies offering a new type of legal advice to the public. However the leader of the consultation, David Clementi, said the term ‘Tesco law’ was little more than a media coo and urged experts and the public to not be distracted by the term and deal with the real matter.
Despite his misgivings though it does seem that the terms I catching on and that there will be an increase in the number of high street and Do It Yourself legal services, possibly leading to a decline in the numbers seeking professional legal advice, with some commentators expressing concern over the quality of this type of advice and urging those in need of legal representation to seek it from recommended solicitors practices.
However, The Law Society, seem unconcerned about their members seeing a drop in clients, issuing a statement saying they see Tesco Legal as an “innovative addition to the market”.
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