Quality standards such as Lexcel, the Conveyancing Quality Scheme (CQS) and the Specialist Quality Mark (SQM) have become an integral part of modern legal practice. For many firms, they are no longer optional “badges of quality”, but essential requirements for panel membership, legal aid contracts, professional indemnity insurance and competitive positioning.
Infolegal provides comprehensive support for the implementation, maintenance and re-accreditation of Lexcel, CQS and related quality standards. Our approach is deliberately practical and integrated, ensuring that quality standards are embedded within the firm’s wider compliance framework, rather than treated as a separate or short-term exercise.
Lexcel is the Law Society’s flagship practice management standard and is specifically designed for solicitors’ practices. It focuses on how firms are run in practice, covering areas such as governance, strategy, supervision, risk management, client care, complaints handling, equality and diversity, training, financial management and file review. Lexcel aligns closely with the Solicitors Regulation Authority Standards and Regulations, but goes further by setting structured, outcome-focused requirements designed to promote consistency, efficiency and continuous improvement across the firm.
The Conveyancing Quality Scheme (CQS) is now effectively mandatory for firms undertaking mainstream residential conveyancing. It is widely relied upon by lenders as a condition of panel membership and focuses on reducing risk in one of the most high-risk areas of legal practice. CQS places particular emphasis on conveyancing-specific processes, including client due diligence, AML controls, property fraud prevention, supervision, protocol compliance and transparency.
The Specialist Quality Mark (SQM), administered by the Legal Aid Agency, is a core requirement for firms holding or applying for legal aid contracts. While different in emphasis, SQM shares many underlying principles with Lexcel, including governance, client care, supervision, complaints handling and training. In practice, firms that have well-embedded Lexcel systems are often well placed to meet SQM requirements with minimal duplication.
Across all of these standards, a recurring theme is the need not just to have policies and procedures in place, but to be able to demonstrate that they are implemented, understood and kept under regular review.
Achieving and retaining accreditation is not simply about producing a compliant manual. Firms must be able to demonstrate that policies, procedures and controls are embedded in day-to-day practice, understood by staff and reviewed regularly. This includes areas such as client care, supervision, complaints handling, equality and diversity, AML, data protection, risk management, training and governance.
One of the most common difficulties firms encounter is treating accreditation as a one-off project rather than an ongoing management framework. Systems may be put in place to achieve accreditation but are then allowed to drift, leaving firms exposed at renewal or re-assessment and missing out on the wider benefits that quality standards can deliver.
Infolegal has a long track record of supporting firms with Lexcel, CQS and related quality standards. Our approach is to integrate accreditation requirements into the firm’s wider compliance and management systems, rather than bolting them on as a separate exercise.
For subscribers, the Infolegal Office Procedures Manual has been written specifically to address the requirements of Lexcel, CQS and SQM, with clear cross-referencing to the relevant standards. It is available in versions tailored for sole principals and multi-owner firms, providing a strong foundation without the need to start from scratch. Firms can adapt the templates themselves or ask Infolegal to assist with tailoring and implementation.
The Manuals provide a structured, compliant framework covering all of the key areas required by the standards, including governance, supervision, client care, complaints handling, AML, data protection, equality and diversity, financial management and risk control. They are designed not only to satisfy assessors, but to operate as a practical, working manual for the firm.
Rather than requiring firms to draft documentation from scratch, the Infolegal Manuals allow firms to adopt, adapt and maintain a robust set of procedures that evolve alongside regulatory and accreditation changes. This significantly reduces the administrative burden on compliance officers and managers while increasing consistency across the practice.
Infolegal supports firms at every stage of the quality standards lifecycle. For firms seeking accreditation for the first time, we provide structured guidance on what is required, how standards interact with SRA obligations, and how to implement systems proportionately.
For accredited firms, we assist with ongoing maintenance, helping to ensure that systems remain current, staff training requirements are met and changes in regulation or accreditation criteria are reflected promptly. Where firms face reassessment, merger, restructuring or changes in ownership or format of the firm, Infolegal can review and adapt existing arrangements to ensure continued compliance.
Beyond documentation, Infolegal supports firms with training, governance reviews, risk assessments and practical advice to ensure that accreditation requirements are met in practice. Where appropriate, this work is carried out in conjunction with specialists from Enderley Consulting, providing additional depth and strategic insight.
The Infolegal InfoHub plays a critical role in moving quality standards beyond a tick-box exercise. The InfoHub allows firms to store, manage and review their policies, plans and procedures centrally, creating a clear and accessible compliance framework.
Features such as policy registers, training records, risk assessments and compliance logs help firms evidence ongoing compliance with Lexcel, CQS and SQM requirements. In particular, the InfoHub’s firmwide compliance and regulatory management tools enable firms to demonstrate that policies are not only in place, but actively monitored, reviewed and updated.
This integration is especially valuable at renewal or reassessment stage, when firms must show how standards are maintained in practice, not merely that they were met at a single point in time.
A core principle of Infolegal’s approach is that quality standards should enhance the way a firm operates, not simply satisfy an external assessor. When implemented properly, Lexcel and CQS can lead to improved client care, greater consistency in service delivery, better supervision and reduced risk of complaints and claims.
Infolegal helps firms use accreditation as a management and risk-reduction tool, aligning quality standards with SRA compliance, training requirements and strategic objectives. This makes accreditation easier to maintain and more valuable to the business as a whole.
A key element of Infolegal’s approach is ensuring that Lexcel, CQS and SQM deliver real operational and commercial benefits, not just accreditation certificates. When embedded properly, these standards can improve supervision, reduce complaints and claims, support better training and increase consistency of service delivery.
Firms that use the Infolegal Manuals and InfoHub to underpin their quality standards are better placed to demonstrate good governance to regulators, insurers, lenders and clients. They also benefit from clearer internal processes, reduced compliance stress for COLPs and COFAs, and greater confidence that the firm can withstand regulatory scrutiny.
Firms that use Infolegal’s Lexcel and CQS services benefit from clearer structures, stronger governance and increased confidence in their compliance arrangements. They are better placed to achieve and retain accreditation, satisfy lender and funder requirements, and demonstrate quality and competence to clients and referrers.
Most importantly, by embedding quality standards into everyday practice, firms can improve efficiency, reduce regulatory and commercial risk, and enhance their professional reputation. Infolegal’s support helps ensure that Lexcel, CQS and SQM are not just accreditations, but practical frameworks for running a well-managed, resilient and successful law firm.
Please feel free get in touch with us. We will always do our best to get back to you as soon as possible and always within 1-2 business days.
