Impact of COVID on the legal services sector and legal complaints

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* I am responding on behalf of an organisation/ association (please give name):

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* I am responding as an individual practitioner/ firm (please give area of practice and name (optional):

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* 1. Are we seeing or likely to see an overall drop in the number of legal firms due to Covid-19 and associated restrictions?

Aware of firms closing due to Covid

Believe it’s likely firms will close over the coming 18 months

Not sure how likely it is that firms will close over the coming 18 months

Don’t think it’s likely a significant number of firms will close over the coming 18 months

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* 2. Are we seeing or likely to see an overall drop in the number of lawyers (and trainees) working in the profession due to Covid-19 and associated restrictions?

Aware of a drop in lawyer numbers due to Covid

Believe it’s likely lawyer numbers will drop over the coming 18 months

Not sure how likely it is that lawyer numbers will drop over the coming 18 months

Don’t think it’s likely lawyer numbers will drop significantly over the coming 18 months

Believe it’s likely the number of lawyers will increase over the coming 18 months

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* 3. What is the current and expected trajectory of legal transactions?

Numbers have increased

Numbers have held steady

Numbers have reduced but are climbing back swiftly to around normal levels

Numbers have reduced but are climbing back slowly

Numbers have reduced and remain significantly lower

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* 4. What is happening and likely to happen to fee income levels?

Income has increased

Income has held steady

Income has reduced but is climbing back swiftly to around normal levels

Income has reduced but is climbing back slowly

Income has reduced and remains significantly lower

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* 5 (a) Do you believe you and/or your firm will be able to meet your practising certificate and indemnity costs in the coming year?

Yes

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* 5 (b) Do you believe you and/or your firm, will be able to meet your SLCC levy costs in the coming year?

Yes

Complaints reaching the SLCC

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* 1. To what extent have lawyers/ firms been able to maintain levels of service for clients?

Have improved levels of client service

Have been able to broadly maintain levels of client service

Had an initial dip in service due to lockdown, but now maintaining normal levels of service

Have had a significant or extended dip in levels of client service

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* 2. Have significant issues in managing business arisen likely to lead to increased complaints?

Aware of significant issues in managing business likely to lead to increased complaints

Not aware of significant issues in managing business likely to lead to increased complaints

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* 3. Have lawyers/ firms seen changes in levels of client dissatisfaction being expressed to them?

Have seen significantly increased levels of client dissatisfaction with service

Have seen some increased levels of client dissatisfaction

Have not seen increased levels of client dissatisfaction

Have seen reduced levels of client dissatisfaction

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* 4. To what extent have lawyers/ firms been able to resolve issues with clients, meaning complaints are less likely to reach the SLCC?

Have been able to resolve all issues and expect fewer complaints to reach the SLCC

Have been able to resolve most issues and don’t expect higher than normal complaints to reach SLCC

Have been able to resolve some issues, but do expect slightly higher than normal complaints to reach SLCC

Have had significant challenges resolving issues and expect higher than normal number of complaints to reach the SLCC

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* 5 Do you think, with all factors combined, complaints coming to the SLCC will be higher, the same or lower in the June 21 to July 22 period than in previous years?

Higher

Same

Lower

Impact of COVID on the legal services sector and legal complaints

Question Title

* I am responding on behalf of an organisation/ association (please give name):

Question Title

* I am responding as an individual practitioner/ firm (please give area of practice and name (optional):

Question Title

* 1. Are we seeing or likely to see an overall drop in the number of legal firms due to Covid-19 and associated restrictions?

Question Title

* 2. Are we seeing or likely to see an overall drop in the number of lawyers (and trainees) working in the profession due to Covid-19 and associated restrictions?

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* 3. What is the current and expected trajectory of legal transactions?

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* 4. What is happening and likely to happen to fee income levels?

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* 5 (a) Do you believe you and/or your firm will be able to meet your practising certificate and indemnity costs in the coming year?

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* 5 (b) Do you believe you and/or your firm, will be able to meet your SLCC levy costs in the coming year?

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* 1. To what extent have lawyers/ firms been able to maintain levels of service for clients?

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* 2. Have significant issues in managing business arisen likely to lead to increased complaints?

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* 3. Have lawyers/ firms seen changes in levels of client dissatisfaction being expressed to them?

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* 4. To what extent have lawyers/ firms been able to resolve issues with clients, meaning complaints are less likely to reach the SLCC?

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* 5 Do you think, with all factors combined, complaints coming to the SLCC will be higher, the same or lower in the June 21 to July 22 period than in previous years?

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* Is there anything else you think we should be aware of or consider? Please share any useful information with us here.