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Bridging the gap

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15 January 2016 / Mark Burns
Issue: 7682 / Categories: Features , Profession
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By offering increased transparency in costs & services, comparison sites can benefit firms & potential clients, as Mark Burns explains

There can’t have been many of us that were surprised by the findings of a recent survey by Citizens Advice which claimed that almost 70% of respondents said they couldn’t afford legal services (see Responsive justice: How citizens experience the justice system, November 2015). The survey responses also highlighted the need for more transparency in a profession which has long been surrounded in mystery. The real question relating to the cost of legal advice has to be around whether clients can see value in the service that they receive and if that service meets their needs. What service does a client actually need, what do they want it to include and how much does that service cost?

Price is a complex area—particularly when it comes to procuring legal services where buying decisions should not be made by creating a race to the bottom—but instead, the profession has to take steps to bring client and lawyer

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