Accreditations

Lexcel is the Law Society’s legal practice quality mark for excellence in legal practice management and excellence in client care. It provides a flexible, supportive management framework to help practices develop consistent operational efficiencies and client services, manage risk effectively, reduce costs and promote profitability.

Lexcel sets the required Standard in seven different areas: structure and strategy, financial management, information management, people management, risk management, client care, file and case management. Lexcel scheme rules outline the design, principles and governance processes of the scheme.

Practices and organisations accredited against the Standard have the flexibility to implement procedures that are appropriate to their circumstances.

The Association of Personal Injury Lawyers (APIL) has been fighting for the rights of injured people for over 25 years. A not-for-profit campaign organisation, APIL’s 3,800 member lawyers (mainly solicitors, barristers and legal executives) are dedicated to changing the law, protecting and enhancing access to justice, and improving the services provided for victims of personal injury.

Over the years APIL has grown to become the leading, most respected organization in this field, constantly working to promote and develop expertise in the practice of personal injury law, for the benefit of injured people.

The Association of Personal Injury Lawyers:

• Believes passionately that victims deserve committed, well trained lawyers to support their fight for justice;
• Understands that injured people can often be the most vulnerable in society and need help;
• Campaigns to make a tangible difference to the lives of injured people and society as a whole;
• Reassures victims and acts fairly with honesty and integrity;
• Drives up standards in personal injury law and process, encouraging innovation and efficiency;
• Is ‘not for profit’ and does not seek to make money out of the misfortune of injured people;
• Treats law as a rewarding vocation, not a job, and encourages its members to thrive in their work.

We are members of the Law Society Children Order Panel and have solicitors who are specialists in dealing with all aspects of the law relating to children especially applications for residence, contact, Wardship applications and defence, Care Order/Secure Accommodation proceedings involving Trusts, adoptions and relocation applications.

Paula Collins, Partner in charge of Family Law Department in the firm, is a member of the Northern Ireland Guardian Ad Litem Agency Panel. Paula represents children on behalf of the Agency in applications by Trusts for public law Orders. This is a specialist accreditation for solicitors. Paula has extensive experience in this field

The National Institute of Trial Advocacy is an organisation comprising practicing lawyers, professors and judges from around the USA which dedicates its efforts to the training and development of skilled and ethical legal advocates to improve the adversarial justice system.

NITA’s purpose is to:

• Promote justice through effective and ethical advocacy;
• Train and mentor lawyers to be competent and ethical advocates in pursuit of justice; and

Develop and teach trial advocacy skills to support and promote the effective and fair administration of NITA’s Mission Statement defines NITA and articulates its Mission to;

• Enable and encourage lawyers to become effective, ethical and professional advocates;
• Create and promote the highest quality professional and ethical advocacy training and educational materials;
• Support and assist the Judicial System in providing the important, effective administration and resolution of disputes; and
• Encourage, support and assist advocacy training for public and private attorneys engaged in public service practices.
• Advance justice.

The Home Charter Scheme was introduced originally to meet the needs and interests of the public by ensuring that consistent good quality conveyancing practice was promoted. The Scheme is essentially a quality assurance mechanism directed primarily at processes.

Compliance with the Scheme produces positive benefits in several different respects. It improves client satisfaction and reduces the risk of omission. The value of the Scheme has been widely acknowledged and has become the norm for the residential domestic conveyancing process. The promotion of good practice and uniformity of processes works to the overall benefit of clients.

We offer Legal Aid and provide Access to Justice Services. We provide funding for legal aid to help people:

• Protect their basic rights and get a fair hearing
• Access the court process to sort out disputes
• Solve problems that contribute to social exclusion