LSC family contract providers
Support tools
There are a range of supportive tools for practices who are interested in Lexcel accreditation
New providers for Legal Services Commission’s (LSC’s) family contracts can now choose to be Lexcel accredited instead of obtaining the Specialist Quality Mark.
There is a specific Lexcel timeline with requirements you must adhere to in order to comply with the LSC audit requirements.
Timescale
2011 |
|
|---|---|
| 03 October | Close for initial applications form submissions |
| 18 November | Initial application decision deadline |
| 2012 | |
| 1 February | Family contracts start |
| 28 February | Initial assessment visit deadline |
| 31 May | All corrective action received |
| 31 July | Final decision on accreditation issued |
Important notes
- Late or incomplete applications: The Law Society must adhere to these timescales. If we receive any late applications, assessments or corrective actions, this will likely lead to Lexcel accreditation being denied. If you are denied Lexcel accreditation, you cannot transfer onto the SQM audit option and your contract with the LSC will be denied or terminated.
- Submit a complete application form: A complete application form must include all required information and supporting documentation. We will chase up any missing information from incomplete forms. All relevant information needs to be submitted by 15:00 3 October 2011. If it is not submitted it will likely result in your application being denied.
- Lexcel Commitment Scheme: Registering for the Commitment Scheme does not equate to an application for Lexcel accreditation. Any firms applying for the Commitment Scheme will not fulfil the application requirement and so will not be able to obtain a LSC family contract.
Applying for Lexcel
Cost of accreditation
There are two main costs when applying for Lexcel - an application fee and an assessment fee.
Read more
Check your eligibility and standards
Read through the below materials to ensure that you can apply and be assessed
- Application and assessment eligibility criteria (PDF, 112kb)
- Lexcel v4.1 standard (PDF, 82kb)
- Lexcel application form (Word, 427kb)
Self-assessment checklist
Once you have read through the materials, review and complete the self-assessment checklist as thoroughly as possible. This will give you a gauge of how compliant your practice is with the Lexcel standard.
Remember, you need to have all requirements in place at least three months before your initial assessment.
Lexcel assessment bodies
Assessments are conducted by eight Lexcel licensed assessment bodies. Each body offers a variety of support for practices interested in Lexcel.
Contact us
For more information contact the Lexcel office at the Law Society:
- Email: lexcel@lawsociety.org.uk
- Telephone: +44 (0) 20 7320 5933
- Address: Lexcel Office, The Law Society, 113 Chancery Lane, London WC2A 1PL