In March 2025, Community Law Service (CLS) achieved reaccreditation of the LEXCEL quality mark; The Law Society’s legal practice quality mark for client care, compliance and practice management.
Since 2000 CLS has held a specialist advice quality mark. This is an accreditation which demonstrates our advice, case management and processes are all of a high standard. The Legal Aid Agency has its own Specialist Quality Mark and The Law Society has an equivalent accreditation called LEXCEL. Such a quality mark gives reassurance to people seeking advice that CLS is an organisation which is well managed, has good standards of client care and case management and in turn is well equipped to manage complex cases and court/tribunal representation. In order to hold a Legal Aid contract, an organisation or law firm must have a specialist quality mark. CLS has a Legal Aid contract to deliver Housing and Debt advice and casework.
The LEXCEL quality mark sets the standard that must be achieved for client care, risk and people management, structure and strategy, financial management, information management and file/case management. It works on a 3 year rotation, initial accreditation is awarded following a full audit. The next 2 years LEXCEL undertakes a ‘maintenance audit’ which is a little more light touch. Thereafter, another full audit is undertaken and the cycle begins again.
In March, CLS underwent a full reaccreditation audit. This is a major event, requiring a review of all policies, processes, supervision records, an independent audit of file reviews and an ‘on the spot’ audit of a selection of cases. The very positive outcome to this audit is that CLS has once again been awarded the LEXCEL quality mark. The audit report recorded no “non-compliances” and 10 areas of good practice were identified. The assessor also reported that the staff who were interviewed reported feeling part of a team and were well supported and trained.
This accreditation sets CLS out as a high quality, specialist advice provider in Northamptonshire. We hope this gives reassurance and confidence to local people who are in need of advice. We want to encourage people to come forward as soon as they start to experience difficulties in any of our advice areas: welfare benefits, debt, eviction/repossession, immigration or fuel poverty. Our expert advisers are here to advise, set out options and work on people’s behalf to resolve their query and will work with you for as long or as little as you need our help.
Credit goes to our dedicated team, who work hard to maintain these high standards. My thanks goes to them.
Sarah Hayle, Chief Executive