1. What is informed consent in a solicitor retainer and why does it matter?

Informed consent within a solicitor retainer means that a client has genuinely understood the likely fees and risks and agrees to them before the lawyer proceeds. It goes beyond simply sending written costs information. It is a professional and ethical requirement I England and Wales to ensure transparency between lawyer and client in relation to legal fees and Courts expect firms to demonstrate that information was both clearly explained by the firm and properly understood by the client.

Failing to evidence informed consent can lead to difficulties in recovering costs from your client.  When misunderstandings arise, law firms may face defending claims for unfair legal costs, Legal Ombudsman costs disputes or detailed assessments under the Solicitors Act.

The Legal Lexi strengthens the solicitor and client relationship by presenting costs information in plain English, supported by audio explanations. Clients engage with the material in manageable key stages. They confirm understanding, and any uncertainty is recorded, creating a clear evidential record that protects your entitlement to legal costs whilst improving the overall client experience.

2. How does The Legal Lexi help prevent solicitor costs disputes?

Many solicitor costs disputes arise not because fees are unreasonable, but because clients did not fully understand the range of costs at the outset. Poor communication during the law firm client onboarding process is one of the biggest causes of complaints.

The Legal Lexi reduces this risk by transforming how costs information is delivered.

, The platform breaks down the solicitor retainer, which are often lengthy documents that prospective clients may skim or misunderstand, into structured key stages with plain-language explanations.

Clients demonstrate their understanding to the key elements of the retainer agreement before proceeding. If any uncertainty is flagged, the firm is alerted allowing for clarification before issues escalate. This proactive approach significantly reduces the risk of a costs dispute and strengthens your position if defending claims for unfair charges.

A client’s understanding is documented through a disclosable report from day one which allows law firms to create a strong evidential trail supporting compliance with SRA costs transparency requirements. This proactive transparent approach protects the law firm’s reputation.

3. How does The Legal Lexi support SRA costs transparency obligations?

The SRA Code of Conduct requires clear, accessible costs information and ongoing transparency throughout a matter. SRA costs transparency is not simply about publishing prices online; it requires meaningful communication between solicitor and client. Principle 4, Principle 5, SRA Code paragraph 8.6

The Legal Lexi aligns with your firm’s onboarding process with regulatory expectations by delivering costs information in plain English, supported by audio for clarity and accessibility. Clients can review the range of costs, billing structure, and special circumstances that may affect the total cost in their own time.

Importantly, the platform generates an independent report recording engagement and understanding. This helps demonstrate compliance with both SRA costs transparency and good practice principles referenced in Legal Ombudsman decisions.

4. How does The Legal Lexi assist with supporting vulnerable clients?

Supporting vulnerable clients is now a core regulatory expectation. SRA vulnerability guidance makes clear that firms must recognise and respond appropriately to client needs, including mental health challenges, cognitive difficulties, language barriers, or stressful life events.

A failure to identify a client’s vulnerability may invalidate reliance on standard communication methods and undermine informed consent.

The Legal Lexi supports the law firm by identifying potential vulnerability at the earliest stage of the onboarding process. The system highlights when additional explanation or support may be required and keeps auditable records.

Vulnerability identification in onboarding allows law firms to demonstrate they are not just reacting to issues, but actively supporting vulnerable clients in a structured, compliant way. This support firms in knowing when adaptation is required and evidencing that this need was identified. This in turn assists in improving client relationships and reducing professional risk and may help support an increased claim for costs and/or a departure from any fixed costs regime

5. How does The Legal Lexi improve the law firm client onboarding process?

Traditional onboarding can overwhelm prospective clients with lengthy documents filled with technical language. This often weakens the client experience and increases the risk of misunderstandings later.  The Legal Ombudsman has identified that poor costs communication is one of the most common causes of complaint, with solicitor client disputes often emerging months or years later when recollections are poor and documentation is challenged.

The Legal Lexi transforms law firm client onboarding by presenting information in structured, bite-sized key stages. Each stage explains costs information, service scope, and obligations clearly, allowing clients to process the details before moving forward.

Audio explanations further enhance accessibility, particularly for vulnerable customers or those experiencing stress. A record of costs communication delivered to your clients through The Legal Lexi platform is retained in the individual client’s portal, enabling a client to request a further copy at any time within their portal to reinforce their understanding.

For law firms, this streamlines the client onboarding process, reduces repetitive fee earner queries, and improves efficiency. For clients, it builds confidence and transparency from the outset. It strengthens the solicitor and client relationship and reduces future disputes.

6. Can The Legal Lexi help defend claims for unfair legal costs?

Yes. When disputes arise, the central issue is often whether the client truly understood the solicitor retainer and associated legal costs.

The Legal Lexi creates a real-time record showing that costs information was delivered clearly, accessed by the client, and confirmed as understood. If concerns were raised, these are documented and addressed.

This evidence can be highly valuable when defending claims for unfair charges, to rebut or respond to a complaint made to The Legal Ombudsman, a potential solicitor-client costs dispute, and/or during any assessments of costs. Whilst no system can eliminate disputes entirely, demonstrating proactive compliance and documented informed consent significantly strengthens your position.

Embedding clarity and documentation into onboarding assists law firms in moving from reactive defence to essential proactive risk management.

7. Is The Legal Lexi suitable for all practice areas?

Yes. The principles of informed consent, SRA costs transparency, and supporting vulnerable clients apply across all practice areas, from private client and family work to litigation, employment tribunal matters, and conveyancing services.

Wherever there is a solicitor and client relationship involving a range of costs, potential special circumstances, and evolving total cost projections, clear communication is essential.

The Legal Lexi adapts to different departments and retainer types while maintaining consistency across the firm. This ensures compliance processes are not fragmented and that all clients, including vulnerable customers, receive the same high standard of clarity and protection.

For law firms committed to ethical communication, strong client relationships, and protecting their entitlement to legal costs, The Legal Lexi provides a structured, human-centred solution.

8. How does The Legal Lexi evidence ‘informed’ consent in a way that stands up in a costs dispute?

The Legal Lexi creates a clear, structured audit trail of client understanding at key stages of a matter. Clients actively confirm their understanding of costs, risks, and options in their own responses, which are recorded and time-stamped.

This goes beyond simply sending information—it demonstrates that the client engaged with and understood that information, providing robust evidence to support your position in the event of a complaint or detailed assessment.

9. Can The Legal Lexi integrate with our case management system to provide a seamless process?

Yes. The Legal Lexi is designed to sit alongside your existing case management system with minimal disruption. Integration options (APIs) can be explored depending on your firm’s setup, ensuring a smooth and efficient workflow for fee earners.

10. Can The Legal Lexi handle different retainer types and complex funding arrangements such as CFA, DBA, legal expenses insurance?

Absolutely. The platform is built to accommodate a wide range of funding models, including Conditional Fee Agreements (CFA), Damages-Based Agreements (DBA), private retainers, and legal expenses insurance.

It ensures that, regardless of complexity, clients clearly understand how their matter is funded and what that means for them.

11. Does The Legal Lexi align with the Solicitors Regulation Authority Code of Conduct?

Yes. The Legal Lexi is designed to support compliance with key regulatory obligations, particularly around transparency, communication, and client care.

It helps demonstrate that you have taken reasonable steps to ensure clients understand:

• costs and funding arrangements
• risks and available options
• key costs decisions throughout their matter

12. Has The Legal Lexi platform been tested or relied upon in real costs disputes or assessments?

The Legal Lexi has been developed by a Fellow Coss Lawyer with 30 years’ of industry experience in response to real-world issues seen in complaints and costs disputes. It is designed specifically to strengthen a firm’s evidential position by clearly documenting client understanding. The Legal Lexi has been successfully tested and shown to effectively identify and support vulnerable consumers, improving understanding of legal costs and enabling more inclusive client communication.

13. What is required from the law firms team to implement it (eg training, time, internal process changes)?

Implementation is straightforward and designed to minimise disruption. Typically, firms require:

• a short onboarding process
• light-touch training for fee earners
• minor adjustments to introduce Lexi at key client touchpoints

Most firms are able to adopt the platform quickly without significant operational change.

14. What is the return on investment? How does it actually reduce complaints, write-offs or cost disputes?

The Legal Lexi delivers value by addressing the root cause of many issues—client misunderstanding.

Firms typically benefit from:

• fewer complaints and associated management time
• reduced write-offs due to clearer cost communication
• stronger defence in costs disputes
• improved client satisfaction and trust

Over time, this translates into both financial savings and reduced risk exposure.

15. How does pricing work?

Pricing is structured to be transparent and scalable, depending on the size of your firm and level of usage. We’ll work with you to find a model that reflects your needs and delivers clear value.

16. Is there a limit on how many team members can use The Legal Lexi?

No, The Legal Lexi is designed to scale with your firm. Access can be tailored to your requirements, whether you are onboarding a small team or rolling it out across multiple departments.

17. How do we monitor usage and responses from clients?

The platform provides clear visibility of client engagement, including:

• response rates
• indicators of client understanding
• flagged areas of potential concern

This allows you to monitor performance at both individual and firm-wide level, and take proactive action where needed.

18. Can we receive a demonstration of The Legal Lexi platform?

Yes, seeing the platform in action is the best way to understand its value.

Book a demo to explore how The Legal Lexi can support your firm, reduce risk, and strengthen client relationships.

 

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