Law Society homepage The Law Society Find a Solicitor Gazette Jobs The Gazette CPD Centre Bookshop Events Library Knowledge Base Find a Solicitor Practice areas Support and services Policy and campaigns Communities Law careers News For the public You are here: Home Support services Accreditation Lexcel Lexcel - excellence in legal practice management and client care 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. Who is membership for? Lexcel is designed for any legal practice, regardless of the size or type of work undertaken. From private practices in England and Wales and also international markets, to not-for-profit organisations, in-house teams in organisations and local authorities. Two versions of Lexcel are available to reflect the needs of domestic and international markets: Lexcel England and Wales version 6 of the Standard for legal practices and in-house departments in England and Wales. Lexcel International version 5 of the Standard for practices in England and Wales with independent offices overseas and practices in foreign jurisdictions. Lexcel England and Wales version 6 mandatory assessments come into effect from 1 May 2015. All applications being assessed before this date will be assessed against Lexcel v5 (now Lexcel International) Lexcel England and Wales is divided into two versions to meet the needs of legal practices and in-house legal departments. These entities are defined as: A law practice in the form of partnerships, limited liability partnerships, sole practitioners, incorporated law firms and alternative business structures (ABSs) authorised and regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA). An in-house legal department, including those in corporations, public sector (including ABSs), law centres, not-for-profit and government organisations. Lexcel can be combined with other quality standards including ISO 9001 or ISO 27001, Investors in People and the Specialist Quality Mark (SQM) and could reduce the time and cost of your assessment. A joint assessment may also be possible. Lexcel is also accepted as a quality standard by the Legal Aid Agency, instead of obtaining the SQM. Why apply for Lexcel accreditation? It is vital to manage the quality of your legal services effectively. A quality management system that is independently assessed demonstrates your commitment and ability to consistently deliver services that meet client expectations, improve overall satisfaction and assist regulatory compliance. Increase client satisfaction Achieve consistent levels of client service across your practice or department / organisation. Reduce the number of client complaints and increase overall satisfaction levels among clients. Win more new business Leverage Lexcel to attract new work and provide an advantage in tender processes. Tailor Lexcel to your practice's or department's / organisation's processes to help provide a clear point of competitive differentiation. Lexcel is accepted by the Legal Aid Agency, instead of the SQM. Gain operational efficiencies Increase profitability and efficiency through use of standardised processes throughout the practice or department / organisation. Access more competitive insurance premiums. Minimise the risk of claims Protect your brand and reputation by using standardised processes to reduce risks of claims or complaints that may lead to negligence claims. Improve compliance with regulatory requirements. How do I apply for accreditation? Achieving Lexcel requires the completion of an application form and assessment. Lexcel England and Wales v6 is for practices and organisations operating in England and Wales. Mandatory assessment against version 6 comes into effect from 1 May 2015 onwards. All Lexcel assessments up to and including 30 April 2015 will be against Lexcel v5 (now Lexcel International). Practices and organisations located in foreign jurisdictions or based in England and Wales with independent offices overseas should apply for Lexcel v5 (now Lexcel International). Marketing support Online marketing is the main method by which we promote Lexcel and increase general awareness among buyers of legal services - both businesses and consumers. Marketing messages focus on explaining the Lexcel quality mark for excellence in legal practice management and client care and the benefits it offers buyers. Support and services Accreditation Lexcel Apply for Lexcel England and Wales (v6) Apply for Lexcel International (v5) Lexcel accreditation fees Assessors and consultants FAQs Training, publications and support About our specialist schemes Conveyancing Quality Scheme Children Law Civil and Commercial Mediation Clinical Negligence Criminal Litigation Family Law Family Mediation Family Law Advanced Immigration and Asylum Immigration Law Advanced Local Government Diploma Mental Health Personal Injury Planning Law Wills and Inheritance Quality Scheme Accreditation appeals panel members Downloads Lexcel Standard England and Wales v6 for legal practices (PDF) Lexcel Standard England and Wales v6 for in-house legal departments (PDF) Lexcel v5 International Standard (PDF 140kb) Related content Apply for Lexcel England and Wales Apply for Lexcel International Find a Solicitor Lexcel practice Lexcel awarded practices Lexcel accredited practices by region (PDF 1mb) Riliance The Riliance software platform can help Lexcel accredited practices to automate, monitor and analyse their compliance against specific requirements in the Standard, including: managing file audits/reviews recording PII claims maintaining a risk register and recording client complaints. Real-time reporting provides valuable data insights and convenient reporting. Find out more Case studies We've recently interviewed Lexcel accredited practices to determine how their achievement has benefited them. View the case studies: Gartlan Furey Solicitors (PDF 106kb) Staffordshire County Council (PDF 78kb) Brethertons LLP (PDF 245kb) Penningtons Solicitors LLP (PDF 246kb) About us About the Law Society Law Society membership Our work for members Our constitution Our Council Office holders Our priorities for 2015 Annual report Law Society Group Corporate responsibility Law Society Charity Careers at the Law Society About the website Accessibility Legal notice Privacy statement Cookies Data sales for marketing Get in touch Contact us Office locations Useful numbers Complaints Copyright permissions Data protection Freedom of information Social media Advertising Committee login Restaurant and venue hire Follow us on Twitter Copyright 2015 Law Society All Rights Reserved.