Just the ticket for legal problems
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Once you get involved with the law, costs can be frightening, but a Birmingham firm has an answer — an adviser-card scheme which gives all members a 24-hour hot line to experts geared up to giving advice to the layman
JR LEGAL SYSTEM is complex d expert advice from a lawyer ;ertainly costly. You've only to isult one to find out.
3o what happens when a firm an individual has a legal probn? Very often the matter is elved, purely because of the :imated expense and possible ssle involved. This is a pity, rticularly when justice cannot done due to lack of legal acn. Some people might say it's ong that anybody can be deved of his or her rights beuse of lack of funds to take a se to court — or even to see a licitor.
But a scheme is now in being lich takes care of this kind of uation. A Birmingham firm — iustrial Relations and Pernnel Consultants {IRPC) — has Dduced a legal advisory ser:e for employers or groups of iividuals (affiliation groups). is service provides the em)yers or members with access immediate and professionally alified guidance on all aspects the law.
How is this done? Well, the ntrai feature of this legal adviry service is the personal legal viser-card, given to all scheme ambers. This enables them to one IRPC's team of lawyers at y time of the day or night to 3cuss any legal problem they ay have and obtain expert ad
on the steps they should be nsidering.
The advice given is immediate d it is geared to giving easily derstood practical help to ople whose problems may ye their root in a lack of undermding of the taw, yet who are :en deterred by the prospect of eking advice.
some problems have a simple lution. Where such problems n be satisfactorily dealt with the individual concerned, the team will outline the approlate action. For example, a op may have sold a duff cuum cleaner to a scheme ember, In that case the lawrs may tell the inquirer what to -ite and to whom.
Certain problems may be cky and difficult. If the team of Nyers considers that any partilar situation needs further pro3sional assistance, it will folly up the verbal advice with a written report analysing the problem. The team will set out its view of the most suitable course of action and will also give guidance on the potential cost of taking the necessary steps through a solicitor or other adviser.
The legal adviser-card — which in appearance is very similar to a credit card — carries only the number of the scheme to which a member belongs. So the service can be totally confidential if the member wishes. The IRPC team is on call round the clock and there's no limit to the number of times that a member can seek advice on any problems.
What about cost? This is on a sliding scale, depending on the number of members in a scheme. For very large groups the charge can be as low as 50p per head per year. Even for smaller numbers the cost compares favourably with other employee and membership benefits. For instance, for a small company or group the annual cost is a modest £2 a head.
So there we have the legal advisory service. There is, however, an additional item worthy of consideration in the form of group legal fees insurance. This allows employers or other groups to provide their er,nployees or members with funds for the pursuit or defence of legal action in a wide variety of circumstances. So employees can take legal action under legal fees insurance which could be a follow-on from legal advice given under the advisory service.
Under the legal fees insurance, areas of cover include claims arising from death or personal injury, contract of employment disputes, defence of motoring prosecutions and uninsured loss recovery, disputes over buying goods or services and the infringement of legal rights affecting the home.
This particular insurance policy is underwritten at Lloyd's. It has flexible indemnity limits ranging from £5,000 to £25,000 per claim and there is a full choice of all or any of the elements of cover. Costs covered include solicitors' and barristers' fees, expert witnesses' expenses and court costs.
Premiums vary according to the number of scheme members and the elements of cover selected, but broadly the insurance costs range from £20 per head for the fullest protection down to a few pence per head for more limited cover.
IRPC has recently formed a legal advisory club which provides 24-hour phone legal advice to individuals, families and the self-employed, backed by optional legal expenses in. su ranee. The services are similar to those on offer under the group scheme. Under the "individual" scheme, two categories of membership are offered — standard and protected membership.
The main feature of standard membership is a personal legal adviser-card, as under the group scheme. This allows the members to phone IRPC's team of qualified lawyers day or night to discuss any legal problems they may have and to get expert advise on their rights under the law and the steps they should be considering, exactly as under the group scheme. A written report will follow where needed.
Protected membership provides the benefits of standard membership plus insurance cover to supply funds for the pursuit or defence of legal action. Up to £10,000 per claim of solicitors' and barristers' fees, court costs and expert witnesses' expenses is available to protect a member's rights in such areas as employment disputes, the sale or purchase of goods and services, motoring prosecutions and uninsured loss recovery and disputes affecting the home.
The "individual" insurance is underwritten by DAS Legal Expenses Insurance Company. Cover applies to claims arising in Great Britain, but for a small extra premium can be extended to cover the whole of Continental Europe.
Cost of standard membership of the legal advisory club is £12.50 per year for individuals, £16.50 per year for families {includes member, spouse and their parents and any children under 21 normally resident at the family home), and £35 per year for the self-employed. For protected membership the rates are: individuals £30, families £35, self-employed £60.
Stephen Manton, managing director of IRPC Legal and Personnel Insurance Services, believes that "membership of the legal advisory club will be an attractive proposition to many people for whom at present the law remains something of a mystery."
Mr Manton told me that both group and individual schemes are progressing well and seem to be filling a real need at a reasonable cost.
Any interested firms or individuals who would like further details should phone (021) 233 2996 or write to IRPC at Lombard House, Great Charles Street, Birmingham B3 3LP.
• John C. Vann