A helpful handrail to buying legal services

Written by various experienced professionals in the commercial world and aimed at the public sector, this book is a guide to procurement or purchasing for organisations. It describes itself as an ‘engaging handrail’, which is a nice way to put it. Commercial acumen is vital in a highly competitive world to understand the requirements of the purchaser’s end-user, whether customer or client.

There are chapters on risk, knowing your market, innovative thinking, fraud and being a good citizen. Lawyers will focus on the chapter about obtaining legal services.

From the point of view of a client who is seeking to select a firm of solicitors to act for them, this chapter makes some good points. The book suggests clients might spread favours between young lawyers who are recently out of college – they may have more up-to-date knowledge than ‘fustier’ ones with more experience. The procurer of solicitors (I am not sure that sounds right) is also guided to various well-known reference sources such as Chambers and other guides including Find a Solicitor. It gives useful advice on how a client can build a good relationship with a lawyer by keeping in contact, not only at times of crisis, by learning, asking and understanding each other’s role. Use advice wisely and be precise with instructions.

David Pickup is a partner at Pickup & Scott Solicitors, Aylesbury