Move a prelude to acquisition of Bristol law firm in 2011
DAS Legal Expenses has appointed a new team to tackle markets and opportunities resulting from the recent Legal Services Act.
The team, led by head of legal services Kathryn Mortimer, will work closely with Bristol law firm CW Law, which DAS is preparing to acquire once the government has the regulatory body in place in 2011.
Under the Legal Services Act, which followed a review by Sir David Clementi in 2004, non-law firms will be able to partner or acquire law firms in three years’ time.
The company also has new legal products and additions to existing services such as will writing and contract drafting that will be rolled out through the internet in the New Year by its in-house team and under the advice of its panel of solicitors.
Mortimer said the new legal services team was limited in what it could do in-house at the moment until the official go-ahead is given in 2011.
However, Mortimer said the team was busy getting everything in order so that it cold “hit the ground running” on day one.
She said: “It’s frustrating to have to wait, but that’s where it is.”
Mortimer said she expected additional roles will be created within the legal services team in the future.
Under the restructuring, DAS’s sales operations have also been overhauled with corporate partnerships and broker operations brought under the control of the UK sales manager.
