We are joining forces with Co-op Legal Services to offer legal services.
The new arrangement will enable us to offer a range of legal support services with one of the country’s biggest providers, including wills, probate, family law and employment law to advisers and their clients.
The expansion into legal services builds on our rebrand and renewed focus on putting clients at the heart of the business and working together to deliver our growth strategy.
Demand for legal services in general and wills, family and employment law in particular has grown rapidly since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic as more clients realise the need for estate planning as well as help with employment and family issues.
Co-op Legal Services research* with advisers shows 79% believe better estate planning services would help them support their clients better and that half (50%) of couples have not made a will.
Paul Shearman, Proposition Director, Mortgages & Protection at The Openwork Partnership, said: "We wanted to partner with a firm able to deliver a broad range of legal services and the Co-op Legal Service’s award winning, digitally enabled proposition is exceptionally strong. We are sure it will be well received by advisers and their clients at a time when the recognition of the importance of many of services available has increased significantly as a result of the pandemic.”
Jonathan Appleby, Co-op Legal Services’ Head of Corporate Partners, added: “We are delighted to be working with The Openwork Partnership who provide important financial advice to their client base. Legal services can play an important part in underpinning someone’s financial wellbeing and we look forward to providing support to The Openwork Partnership’s advisers and their clients.”
A key factor in the decision to work with Co-op Legal Services is its high rating with customers on Trustpilot at 4.6 and its significant investment in technology to deliver an engaging digital legal hub for advisers to use with clients.
As part of the tie-up our advisers will be able to offer a holistic approach to advice on legal services before referring clients to Co-op Legal Services through its online portal for further advice and support with producing legal documents.
* YouGov survey 2020