Transparency must include the status of the individual or organisation offering the service, fees that will be charged for each service offered, any potential conflicts of interest and any complaints procedure.
For example, it would be misleading to state that ‘we are a government recognised professional body’ when in fact what it is really being stated is that ‘we were incorporated by a government body – companies House’. It’s clear how vague or disingenuous language can mislead in this real-life example….
We, as an industry, need to ensure that all statements made on websites have clarity and cannot be interpreted by making assumptions. The difficulty is how to monitor and police such statements…."
NALP's CEO Amanda Hamilton discusses why we need transparency within the Legal Services Sector to protect consumers.
Published in The Barrister
