EPOQ Launches Halifax Legal Solutions
Epoq (www.epoq.co.uk) the award winning legal services company, today announced the launch of Halifax Legal Solutions (www.halifaxlegalsolutions.co.uk), a brand new comprehensive and affordable legal service, developed specifically for customers of The Halifax.
According to a recent Which? survey 63% of consumers would like access to legal services via their high street bank or supermarket.
Epoq’s £10 million investment in consumer friendly legal technology gives customers precisely that, with unlimited access to legal services either online or via a dedicated telephone line, all linked to a team of solicitors, barristers and other qualified professionals.
With the UK market for consumer legal services estimated at £8 billion* and the forthcoming introduction of the Legal Services Bill, instigating the most significant change to the legal market for over 100 years, it’s no surprise that financial institutions such as The Halifax are taking their first major steps in legal service delivery.
For an annual membership fee of only £89.00 customers using the Halifax Legal Solutions will receive:
· 24 hour legal advice helpline
· Will preparation and updates
· Qualified legal professionals to review and approve all documents prepared using the service
· ID theft resolution service
· Searchable web-based law guide
· Discounted conveyancing
Richard Cohen, Solicitor and Joint CEO of the Epoq Group said “I believe that we are now entering a new era of accessibility and value for consumer and small business legal services. Our clever document technology combined with internet delivery and call centres will keep the quality of service high but costs low.
Halifax has recognised this and their customers will benefit.” Indeed Halifax, Nationwide and the AA are seen as the brands that consumers are most likely to trust to buy legal services from.**
Legal advice, ID theft resolution and Will preparation will be provided over the telephone. In addition over 150 legal documents, such as tenancy agreements, powers of attorney and letters of complaint can be instantly prepared online
following a sophisticated step-by-step system. Once the customer has prepared their legal document it can then be reviewed by the qualified legal team, if required.
*Department for Constitutional Affairs
**Research by Finnacord in association with IMRS
Notes to editors
Epoq Group
Since 1994 Epoq (www.epoq.co.uk) has been developing new and innovative legal solutions; we are a trusted provider to many of the worlds leading financial institutions and now provide intelligent legal document services to over 1 million of their customers.
Epoq has invested over £10 million in technologies and relationships to fully manage the delivery of legal services, we have developed over 200 individual award winning solutions (including Wills, Divorce and Employment), and work with our network of highly respected legal call centres in the UK.
Coinciding with radical changes in the legal services industry, Epoq’s legal solutions have reached maturity at a critical time. In the UK, proposed regulatory changes (under theClementi Review and The Legal Services Bill) are driving many organisations to offer legal services directly to the public and business community.
Epoq’s clients include Royal & Sun Alliance MORE TH>N, ARAG Insurance Capita Insurance Services and Thomson Legal & Regulatory. Epoq is also well known for its direct Web services including Desktop Lawyer (www.desktoplawyer.co.uk).
Rapidocs
Epoq has achieved high levels of standardisation and accessibility by developing Rapidocs®
document and form automation technology (www.rapidocs.com), which is now in its third generation. Rapidocs is fast becoming an industry standard having been adopted by leading international legal publishers, corporate legal departments and even our competitors.
Rapidocs is a sophisticated software solution that follows an advanced question and answer ‘advice’ session leading to the creation of tailored legal documents or PDF forms. Rapidocs documents and forms are designed to be published for use on the Web, CD ROM or through Call Centres.