our accreditations & recognitions

We first achieved Lexcel accreditation in 1999 and, since then, have always passed its annual assessment with flying colours.

Lexcel is the Law Society’s accreditation scheme and is recognised as the gold-star legal practice quality mark. Adopted by legal firms in the UK and internationally, it's the quality mark that tells you you're in trusted, professional hands with your legal case.

Lexcel firms go through a rigorous testing and inspection process to ensure that they have the very best practice in client care, compliance and practice management so you can be sure you're getting the best possible service.

As a Lexcel firm, we are committed to:

• communicating with you clearly and honestly about your case

• being upfront with you about costs

• keeping you informed about how your case is going

• protecting your money and assets

• dealing with any complaints properly

If you want peace of mind and assurance that you will receive a quality service from your solicitor, look for Lexcel – the mark of excellence.

The conveyancing quality scheme accreditation is a recognised quality standard for firms that do residential conveyancing. Like Lexcel, it is a Law Society accreditation that we have been accredited since 2012.

Achieving the accreditation demonstrates that we:

• have the expertise to deliver quality advice

• implement processes and procedures to manage and reduce risks

• are transparent with our clients about our fees

This also gives us greater access to a broad range of lender panels, with CQS accreditation being a requirement for lenders such as Santander, Yorkshire Bank, and Nationwide. 

Here at Wilkin Chapman, a number of our practitioners have earned special recognition for their expertise in particular areas of law by achieving membership in the Law Society's accreditation schemes for:

• Clinical negligence

• Personal injury

• Risk and compliance (Foundation)

The schemes promote high standards in legal service provision and ensure that clients are easily able to identify legal practitioners with proven competency in given areas of law. They also ensure that scheme members maintain relevant standards of competency and expertise by means of periodic reselection, re-accreditation, and re-authorisation.

As an accredited law firm in a number of areas, the schemes:

• promote high standards in legal service provision

• ensure that clients are easily able to identify legal practitioners with proven competency in given areas of law

• help consumers to make informed choices about whom to instruct

• assure consumers that the Law Society has asked the questions that a discerning client wouldn't otherwise ask

• ensure that scheme members maintain relevant standards of competency and expertise by means of periodic reselection, re-accreditation and re-authorisation

Law Society Accreditation Scheme membership is voluntary. The expertise of scheme members in a given area of law has been verified and their accomplishment is recognised by the Law Society.

Cyber Essentials is a government-backed scheme that ensures the protection of an organisation against a whole range of cyber-attacks. Law firms with the accreditation demonstrate their commitment to cyber security.

In order to be awarded with their certified plus accreditation, a thorough review and independent on-site audit was completed on all our technology, processes, and cyber defences. This review further involved carrying out an assessment with the Information Assurance for Small and Medium Enterprises (IASME) against the requirements of Cyber Essentials.

The Cyber Essentials Certified Plus accreditation means a great deal to our firm. We place great emphasis on the protection of our client’s information. This accreditation strengthens our defence against ever-increasing cyber-attacks by employing best practice standards and techniques while providing assurance to our clients. We are committed to continually investing in tools and techniques that improve our cyber stature and enable efficiency in managing our client’s information and internal business processes.

We are pleased to announce that we have been named as a Disability Confident Employer (Level 2). The Disability Confident Scheme helps to remove barriers preventing disabled people and those with long term health conditions from accessing employment.

To be approved for the scheme, we demonstrated our commitment to being an inclusive employer by:

• actively attracting and recruiting disabled people to help fill our opportunities and vacancies

• providing a fully inclusive and accessible recruitment process

• offering interviews to disabled people who meet the requirements

• being flexible when assessing people so disabled applicants have the best opportunity to demonstrate that they can do the job

• proactively offering and making reasonable adjustments as required

• ensuring our people have appropriate disability equality awareness

• promoting a culture of being disability confident

• supporting our people to manage their disabilities or health conditions

• ensuring there are no barriers to the development and progression of disabled people

• ensuring managers are aware of how they can support their people who are sick or absent from work

• valuing and listening to feedback from disabled people

We are proud to be a Level 2 Disability Confident Employer. We’re determined to challenge attitudes, increase understanding of disability, and improve employee morale by demonstrating fair treatment. This accreditation will enable us to draw from the widest pool of incredible talent and retain high-quality people whose ethics match our core values.

We have given our pledge to support military staff and their families through the Armed Forces Covenant and as a result of our commitment hold the Employer Recognition Scheme Gold Award from the Ministry of Defence (MoD), the highest award that can be achieved.

Our Gold Covenant status recognises our proactive support given to our colleagues, clients, and the armed forces community through our HR policies, the work of the members of our specialist military sector, and our encouragement of other organisations to sign the Armed Forces Covenant and progress through the Employer Recognition Scheme.