The Law Society Conveyancing Quality Scheme is growing as twelve of the largest commercial firms have been accredited. This marks a wave of large commercial firms undergoing the process for accreditation.
The scheme has the support of the CML, Land Registry, the Building Societies Association, Legal Ombudsman and the Association of British Insurers. Accreditation marks out firms with high professional standards and excellent customer service. Membership of CQS involves a rigorous assessment, training, audits and annual reviews, to inspire confidence in lenders and clients.
As lenders begin to use CQS accreditation as a way of managing lender panels, membership of the scheme is becoming more important to firms who conduct residential conveyancing. Since the launch of the scheme in January 2011, 1458 firms, with 875 branches have been accredited, with a total of 2333 outlets.
The twelve large commercial accredited firms are:
– Foot Anstey
– Shoosmiths t/a Access Legal from Shoosmiths
– Freeth Cartwright LLP
– Russell-Cooke Solicitors
– Browne Jacobson LLP
– Burges Salmon LLP
– Forsters LLP
– Russell Jones & Walker
– Pannone
– TLP LLP
– Optima Legal
– Gordons LLP
The news that more larger firms are joining the scheme comes as the HSBC opens up its lender panels to CQS accredited firms. Santander, Yorkshire Bank and Clydesdale Bank have all made CQS a requirement for those firms applying to join their lender panels. Those firms who practice residential conveyancing may find themselves questioning whether they can afford not to join the scheme.
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