The Advertising Standards Agency (ASA) has rejected a complaint made by a Yorkshire firm about a television advert for law firm network QualitySolicitors.
Williamsons in Hull had challenged the content of the advert, claiming that it was misleading.
The advert showed an animated woman floating over a town in a hot air balloon, watching the people below.
The voiceover said: ‘QualitySolicitors is the UK’s exciting new legal service. We’ve travelled the land, searching for the best local law firms to become QualitySolicitors.
‘To ensure we select only the very best, we let you be the judge.’
It continued: ‘Your feedback decides which firms make the cut, so you can be sure you’ll always get the best possible service.’
Williamsons said the wording implied that customer feedback was the only criterion for assessing whether firms were suitable to join.
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QS denied the claim that its advert was misleading.
It told the ASA that it applies two objective criteria to law firms wishing to join; they should not have had any negative involvement with the Solicitors Regulatory Authority, and they should have a clean professional indemnity insurance record.
Firms that met those criteria then had their customer feedback assessed, which was the ‘deciding factor’ when assessing whether firms could become members, QS said.
It said firms had to provide customer feedback, and give details of current or very recent clients from all practice areas who would agree to be interviewed by QS.
Member firms continued to be monitored, and if feedback fell below the required level, QS could eject a firm from the group, it said.
The ASA ruled that the advert was not misleading because QS, which last week revealed plans to open access points in branches of WHSmith, had made it clear that customer feedback was the ‘deciding factor’ in the application process.
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