Consumer satisfaction is high, but trust in profession falls

Two conflicting surveys paint a confusing picture of how consumers feel about the legal profession and the services it provides.

Legal Futures reports that general satisfaction with legal service providers is high, based on a survey conducted by the Legal Services Board. The survey looked at the "legal advice journey" of around 4,000 people and asked whether, when confronted by a legal need, they sought professional advice (44%), handled it themselves (27%), sought advice from friends and family (12%) or did nothing (14%). Of those that sought professional help, from solicitors or Citizens Advice Bureaux, 82% of respondents said that they were satisfied with the advice given.

LSB chief executive Chris Kenny said: "For the legal services market to function effectively and in consumers’ interests, we need to understand how real people make real decisions about the myriad of legal issues they face in life. Today's report provides some fascinating insights into the ways in which people go about solving their problems. And, more troublingly, into why some people seek no help at all."

However, an article in Solicitors Journal reports that research conducted by the Legal Services Consumer Panel reveals that public trust in lawyers has fallen from 47% to 43%. Consumers from BME backgrounds had the least confidence in lawyers – just 34% of those from black African backgrounds felt they trusted lawyers. Still, lawyers remain more trustworthy than accountants, bankers and estate agents.

Elisabeth Davies, chair of the panel, said: "Consumers are slowly starting to vote with their feet when choosing legal services but unclear pricing and a lack of confidence continues to hold them back. We want to see regulators help to unleash consumer power by targeting their resources on tackling bad pricing practices during 2012-13."