UK Legal Services Consumer Research Report 2020
This report is the second edition of an annual report considering consumer use, experiences and perceptions of using legal services in the UK, plus awareness and use of key national legal brands. Based on a survey of a nationally representative sample of 1,060 UK adults in March 2020 and comparisons with 2019 survey data.
The survey questions covered the following themes:
Use of law firms and solicitors, frequency of use, and reasons for use by legal area;DIY Law - those undertaking legal tasks themselves, practice areas;Methods of choosing a legal representative;Pricing models for legal services; Satisfaction levels with legal services provided; Value of published price information; •Important criteria to consider when choosing a legal representative;Likely use of remote and online legal services and support;Awareness and use of legal services brands;; Likely use of freelance solicitors;Understanding of consumer rights; Likely use of legal expenses insurance, and other options; Brands covered by the awareness and use questions are: Accident Advice Helpline, Co-operative Legal, First4Lawyers, Fletchers, Irwin Mitchell, Minster Law, InjuryLawyers4u, National Accident Helpline Simpson Millar, Slater & Gordon, Thompsons, Plus Admiral Law, DAS, Legal Zoom, Rocket Lawyer, Which?Legal
Please note: this is delivered as a Zip File.
- EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
- Overview
- Over 1 in 4 have used a law firm/solicitor in the last three years
- Conveyancing and wills are the leading practice areas by volume
- Largest group go back to a legal advisor used before
- Word of mouth – the most likely choice for the majority .
- As previous years, experience and reputation of advisor is main choice factor
- Choice compromised by lack of differentiation but published prices would help
- Clear majority pay a fixed fee for their legal services
- Client satisfaction is relatively good
- Almost three-quarters of clients would use the same law firm again
- Hardly any consumers are aware of regulation, or their rights
- DIY law works for over a quarter with a legal issue
- Clear interest in freelance solicitors and downloadable legal documents .
- Awareness and use of leading legal brands increasing
- Market trends and future outlook
- INTRODUCTION
- Report coverage
- CONSUMER USE OF LEGAL SERVICES
- Over one in four have used law firms/solicitors in the last three years
- Some DIY legal activities carried out by over a quarter
- LEGAL ADVICE AREAS
- As previous years, conveyancing and wills are main areas for advice
- CLIENT SATISFACTION
- Client satisfaction with service quality increases marginally
- Almost three-quarters of clients would use the same advisor again
- FINDING LEGAL REPRESENTATION
- Word of mouth and familiarity lead the way when choosing a legal advisor
- Word of mouth would also be the popular option for consumers
- Under a quarter knew that their legal advisor was regulated
- Experience/reputation and legal costs still the important choice factors
- Differentiating law firms is difficult but prices on a website helps to choose
- PAYING FOR LEGAL ADVICE
- Over six out of ten law firm clients pay a fixed fee
- DIY LEGAL
- Over a quarter undertook some or all of the legal work themselves
- DIY legal work undertaken because consumers think it’s easy
- A majority would do it themselves again, an increase from 2019
- LEGAL INSURANCE, FREELANCERS, HELPLINES
- Freelance solicitors offering lower cost services would appeal to a majority
- LEGAL BRANDS – AWARENESS AND USE
- Many legal brands have increased consumer awareness in the last 12 months
- MARKET TRENDS AND FUTURE OUTLOOK
- Modest market growth expected in 2020
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