GetSolicitors and Harvey McKibbin Make National Splash!

GetSolicitors is in the news again!

From Legal Futures, the leading legal services magazine and website:

A network that aims to help law firms dominate their local market and guarantees that it will increase their income has gone live.

Seven law firms have so far signed up to GetSolicitors, which is billing itself as an alternative to national, branded networks by giving solicitors the tools to market and build their own brands. It says it has a list of another 100 interested firms.

Managing partner Brian McKibbin said the focus is online marketing, along with relationship building to help firms become lynch pins in their local business communities. There is also practice management advice.

“We don’t think the way forward is a homogenous legal brand,” he said. “The future for law firms is going to be in looking and feeling like a law firm, rather than like Co-operative Legal Services or RBS Legal.”

The emphasis is on business clients because “we just don’t think it’s sensible to set up against the bucket shops” in private client areas like conveyancing and personal injury.

Among the new income streams the network seeks to deliver is an archive file management and digital storage service from Archive File Management Ltd – run by former lawyer John West – that includes the client receiving a CD-ROM of their file. It forms part of the firm’s terms and conditions, and Mr McKibbin said that during beta testing, fewer than 1% of clients objected to paying the extra £25-30 charged for this.

Along with Mr McKibbin and Mr West, also partners of GetSolicitors are entrepreneur Eddy Ankrett – the chairman of dating agency Dateline – and Gez McGuire of Boost Digital Advertising, a Google AdWords specialist. Mr McKibbin has legal training and worked in marketing at law firms such as Allen & Overy and Lee Crowder; his wife is a solicitor who runs Sutton Coldfield firm Harvey McKibbin, which is the beta testing site of the GetSolicitors concept. Other consultants are also involved, including networking expert Will Kintish.

GetSolicitors guarantees that member firms will make a profit on their membership, and will refund the cost of membership if they do not. Firms pay a monthly fee, and there is no income sharing. It offers territorial exclusively, and Mr McKibbin estimated that there will be around 500 areas up for grabs across the UK. Firms of around five partners are the main target for the network.

Kidderminster firm DWT Solicitors is one of the first GetSolicitors firms. Partner Gareth Thompson told Legal Futures that they investigated all the various options open to solicitors at the moment, having decided to “embrace the challenges ahead rather than run for cover”. It was also a recognition that “solicitors are to marketing what Julian Clary is to cage fighting”.

He said they saw a variety of drawbacks in the national networks, such as the impact on the brand of problems caused by other firms and the restrictions imposed by membership, while they were also sceptical as to whether a law firm network could compete with the awareness and resources of a brand such as Tesco or Virgin if they chose to enter the legal market. “Why do it [respond to alternative business structures] by creating another brand?” he asked. “Why not build your own?”

The advantage of GetSolicitors’ approach was that “it’s nice to know that someone’s efforts are 100% focused on adding to your brand rather than theirs”, he said.

Mr Thompson said the problem for law firms is distinguishing themselves from one another, meaning a common response is to reduce fees so as to be the cheapest. “Lawyers make a good job of crucifying themselves,” he said. Firms should instead maintain their fee levels or even hike them, as there is often a reverse effect where higher prices bring in clients who are prepared to pay for higher quality.

DWT’s focus is on communication and accessibility, meaning they either go out to clients or “make ourselves available in places convenient to them” – the firm has a network of serviced offices across the region – while they are seeking to become “local business champions”, the solicitor explained.

Bleak Future For Solicitors? Not Necessarily…

A Bleak Future For Solicitors? Not Necessarily…

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Harvey McKibbin Joins GetSolicitors

Harvey McKibbin Solicitors are pleased to announce that they are one of the first firms to sign up for this revolutionary “Multi-Media Marketing Machine for Law Firms” having seized the territory of Sutton Coldfield on an exclusive basis.

“We’re really delighted to be one of the first firms in this exciting new network” said Principal Harvinder McKibbin. “GetSolicitors is set to be the most exciting development for the small or medium law firm in years – and we simply had to be part of it!”

She added “During beta testing we achieved an average of more than £20,000 per month of new income from a spend of just £1,000, which is phenomenal.”

The GetSolicitors network provides small and medium firms with an array of “weapons” in the fight against dwindling high street revenues, the recession, and most importantly the looming Legal Services Act which will commoditise many traditional income streams such as conveyancing.

“We’re here to make sure that the best local firms not only survive but thrive in the new legal landscape” said GetSolicitors Recruitment Partner John West.

He added “GetSolicitors is unique not only because it has been designed by lawyers for lawyers – but also because we are able to offer a 100% Guarantee, which no other network can do. That’s how confident we are that GetSolicitors will succeed for your firm!”

Other leading practices have also rushed to join the new network in the 14 days since a clamour of law firms scrambled for a place on the launch Webinar.

“We pride ourselves on being one of the most cutting edge medium firms in the UK” said Gareth Thompson of DWT Solicitors. “We have pioneered the ‘virtual practice’ in the Midlands – and we have investigated all the alternative networks. Amongst others, I actually met with the MD of Quality Solicitors myself – but GetSolicitors has simply blown me away. In fact we reserved and paid for 4 territories right away (with options on others) as we simply couldn’t let them fall into the hands of our competitors!”

According to John West there will only be 600 or so territories available in the UK, and they’re going fast. “We’ve been amazed by the response” he said. “In fact we couldn’t be happier with how things are going.”

“We really see GetSolicitors as the antidote to networks like Quality Solicitors, who want to try to fight homogenised legal services with… a homogenised legal brand! This doesn’t make sense to us and our research and the response from firms shows they want to keep their identity and the buying public want to use a law firm that looks and feels like a law firm! We’re about making our members the “go-to” law firm in their local area by making them champions of what they do best.”

And how is the future looking for Harvey McKibbin?

“We’re really going from strength to strength” says Harvinder. “And we’ve joined the winning team for sure!”

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Discover How to Avoid the Cost of a Broken Heart

Unmarried couples should prepare for all eventualities says Solicitors in Sutton Coldfield 

Harvey McKibbin Solicitors says unmarried couples are at risk if they don’t plan or prepare for all eventualities when co-habiting or combining assets.

Following a recent case where a man who had split up with his co-habiting partner 17 years ago, was awarded a half share in the house they once lived in, even though he had never paid the mortgage.

The house was purchased as “joint tenants“, or co-owners in lay terms, and remained so after the relationship dissolved.

Harvey McKibbin says, even though it’s hard, couples should plan for a worst case scenario where they split up and must deal with distribution of their assets, as co-habiting couples have fewer rights than those who are married or in a civil partnership.

Seeking the advice of a solicitor before moving in or breaking up can help to make this as painless as possible and could save a lot of time and money as well as heartache if you do split up.

Rights surrounding parental responsibility, wills and pensions also differ compared to couples who are married or in a civil partnership. These issues can be explained in detail by a family solicitor, so you and your family are protected. Owner Harvinder McKibbin says “We’re seeing more and more cohabiting couples to offer advice on how they can avoid the pitfalls and give them peace of mind about what would happen in the worst case scenario.  However, there are many more who don’t realise that they could be storing up a very painful process in the future when they can simply see a professional to get the best advice to avoid this.”

Law Society President Robert Heslett says:

“It is no surprise that couples do not want to consider the ramifications if they break up but it is essential that when committing to set up home together to seek legal advice from a solicitor in order to prepare for any eventuality.

“Cases like the one described are happening all too frequently and we urge co-habiting couples to ensure they have protected their assets or they too may face a similar fate.”

So the best thing to do is to seek some advice from a professional, so you know where you stand and can make informed decisions. Without doing this, couples can suffer enormous extra hardships, emotional and financial, should things not work out in the end.

Harvinder McKibbin agrees, and says “We can make sure you’re fully informed and protected so that if your relationship hits the rocks you only have to cope with a broken heart and not watch the whole financial ship go down too!”

If you haven’t thought about this and are living together then please think about asking for advice. If you’d like to speak to good solicitor who offer guaranteed work then contact Harvey McKibbin on 0121 240 9115 (24/7)  or www.harveymckibbin.co.uk.

 

Journalists can contact Harvey McKibbin from the same details for comment.

 

 

Warning on new CGT Rates! Don’t be Caught Out, says Solicitor in Sutton Coldfield

Trusts and wills are vulnerable to new CGT rate, warns Harvey McKibbin Solicitors

 

The Capital Gains Tax (CGT) increase announced in this week’s budget will mean trustees and personal representatives administering the estates of the deceased could feel the full brunt of the rise as gains made will be at risk of exposure to the new higher rate, warns Harvey McKibbin Solicitors in Sutton Coldfield.

 

The new rate of 28 percent will charge any gains made while the estate is being administered, and also gains for the duration of a trust.

 

Will trusts, created by parents of young children or vulnerable adults, are particularly exposed to the new regime, says Harvey McKibbin Solicitors.

 

Owner Harvinder McKibbin says:

 

“Many hardworking families will often look to create a protective tax regime for their children in the event that they are orphaned at a young age by leaving assets in trust until the children are old enough to manage the assets without the guiding hand of their parents.

 

“There is a real danger of trust assets being eroded through a combination of income tax at 50 per cent, CGT at 28 per cent and the impact of the changes to the inheritance regime introduced in 2006. 

 

“Personal representatives, trustees and anyone else appointed to set up a trust and settle assets within it should urgently seek advice from their solicitor to ensure that arrangements are structured as tax efficiently as possible for the benefit of these vulnerable beneficiaries in the light of these new developments.”

 

Tread carefully

 

Harvey McKibbin is urging trustees and those charged with the task of administering an estate to tread carefully when reviewing trusts or practices in light of the new CGT rate.

 

Harvinder McKibbin adds:

 

“This reinforces the importance of using a solicitor instead of an unqualified, unregulated will writer for trust or probate matters. In light of this new tax regime and the complications that come with it, do you really want an unqualified, unregulated executor or trustee administering your estate after you pass away, rather than a solicitor who is professional, robustly regulated, qualified and insured?

 

“Even where a solicitor has not been appointed to administer a trust or estate, anyone who has been given that role should go to a solicitor, who is best placed to take all these issues into account.”

 

If you do not have a will and need a solicitor write one, contact Harvey McKibbin on 0121 240 9115 (www.harveymckibbin.co.uk).

 

Journalists can contact us from the same details.