Dear All We have successfully[ obtained OR retained] our Lexcel accreditation. This is a great achievement for us. You will see the certificate on display in [insert details of where certificate will

Dear All We have completed our recent Lexcel assessment. The assessor highlighted the following areas of good practice and areas for improvement: [insert details of areas of good practice] They also highlighted the following [major OR minor] non-compliances: [insert detail of any major/minor

Lexcel is the Law Society’s legal practice quality mark for client care, compliance and practice management. Accreditation is voluntary, although there is some overlap between the requirements of Lexcel and other Law Society accreditation schemes, including the Conveyancing Quality Scheme (CQS). Practices holding, or seeking to hold, a legal aid contract with the Legal Aid Agency must hold either Lexcel accreditation or the Specialist Quality Mark (SQM). This Practice Note identifies specific Precedents you could use or adapt to comply with the requirements of Lexcel v6.1. 1. Structure and strategy For detailed requirements, see: Lexcel practice management standard version 6.1. Structure and strategic plans See Precedents: • Strategic business plan—consumer or Strategic business plan—commercial • Governance arrangements—law firms—which is intended to dovetail with a governance structure chart, of which there are five different versions depending on your firm’s business model: ◦ Solo governance and supervision structure chart ◦ Sole practitioner governance and supervision structure chart ◦ Non-departmentalised partnership governance and supervision structure chart ◦ Departmentalised partnership governance and supervision structure chart ◦ Corporate

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Dear [insert name] Lexcel assessment on [insert date of assessment] Thank you for the Lexcel assessment plan. Please find attached the following documentation in readiness for our Lexcel assessment: 1 List

This Precedent provides sample wording which can be used to email the Lexcel assessor with your staff list. Dear [insert name] In preparation for our Lexcel assessment

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What is Lexcel? Lexcel is a Law Society quality accreditation, which is only awarded to firms or department which meet the highest management and customer care standards. [We’ve had Lexcel accreditation for [insert number] years but we have to undergo an annual assessment to keep our accreditation. OR We don’t currently have Lexcel accreditation but we’ve been working hard to meet the necessary standards and we feel we’re now ready to apply for Lexcel. We’ve therefore made a formal application, which involves a rigorous assessment by an independent Lexcel assessor.] What does the assessment involve? A Lexcel assessor will attend our offices and conduct an assessment of our: • policies and procedures • strategic plans • people and information management • client care • risk management • file and case management The assessor will be checking for compliance with the Lexcel standards. The assessor will also randomly select a certain number of fee earners and support staff to interview face-to-face. Why

Lexcel is the Law Society's practice management standard. It is not compulsory although Lexcel accreditation can be helpful for firms wishing to be accredited under the Conveyancing Quality Scheme or the Legal Service Board's Specialist Quality Mark. This Practice Note tells you what to expect of the assessment itself. For guidance on how to prepare for the assessment, see Practice Note: Lexcel—pre-assessment. Obtain and collate chosen files for review The assessor will inform you in advance (usually in the timetable section of the assessment plan) what time they intend to on arrive on the first day of the assessment—usually late morning/early afternoon. However, the assessor will probably email you first thing on the morning of your assessment with a list of fee earner files they wish to see and you will be expected to collate these files before they arrive. As soon as you know what files have been requested you must: • get the files from the fee earners • ensure the files are up to date (eg filing on both the physical file and the electronic file)

Lexcel is the Law Society's practice management standard. It is not compulsory although Lexcel accreditation can be helpful for firms wishing to be accredited under the Conveyancing Quality Scheme or the Legal Service Board's Specialist Quality Mark. This Practice Note takes you through each stage of the post-assessment process. Processing final report Shortly after your assessment (normally two to three days), your assessor will email you the final report. This will document minor and/or major non-compliances, any areas of improvement and good practice. A copy of this report will also be sent to the Law Society panel. On receiving the final report you may wish to: • formulate a post assessment action plan which documents key points and non-compliances that need to be rectified—see Precedent: Lexcel—post-assessment action plan • email heads of departments and the management team with summary of the final report, highlighting any minor/major non-compliances and any areas for improvement—see Precedent: Lexcel post-assessment email to relevant

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Lexcel is the Law Society's practice management standard. It is not compulsory although Lexcel accreditation can be helpful for firms wishing to be accredited under the Conveyancing Quality Scheme or the Legal Service Board's Specialist Quality Mark. This Practice Note provides guidance on how to apply and prepare for a Lexcel assessment. The Lexcel standard Firms are assessed against Lexcel v6.1. It is broken down into seven areas: • Structures and strategy • Financial management • Information management • People management • Risk management • Client care • File and case management To achieve accreditation, firms must demonstrate by way of an independent assessment that the standard is embedded into their firm's structures, policies and procedures. Firms that achieve the standard are then assessed annually to ensure continued compliance. Different types of assessment There are four types of assessments: • initial assessment • year 1 annual maintenance visit (AMV) • year 2 AMV • full reassessment Initial assessment This is a full assessment which requires you to demonstrate that the Lexcel requirements have been