Building a kinder, accessible legal profession

As we mark the Society's 75th anniversary, Elizabeth Rose, Legal Director and Founder of L&M MediLaw  and Scottish Legal Awards Lawyer of the Year 2023, reflects on the evolution of the profession’s approach to inclusivity and client engagement and her innovative approach to setting up and running a trauma-informed and accessible practice.

The legal profession is in the midst of a significant transformation. No longer confined to traditional, impersonal approaches, law firms are increasingly focusing on accessibility, client care, and minimising trauma. The legal landscape is shifting as firms recognise the importance of providing not just legal expertise but also support for clients who have often undergone traumatic experiences. While progress is being made, there is still a long road ahead in terms of fostering true inclusivity, diversity, and accessibility.

In this article, I will share insights from my experience in founding L&M MediLaw, reflecting on the challenges we have faced and how our firm is contributing to this broader transformation in the legal profession.

The changing face of law firms

Starting a business, especially a law firm, is never without its hurdles. From long hours to unexpected setbacks, the early stages of any venture are filled with challenges. When I founded L&M  Law Firm in early 2022 with the support of Levy & McRae, I was keenly aware of the obstacles ahead but driven by a clear vision: to create a firm that put client care at the forefront, especially for those who had experienced trauma. In the past, the legal profession has often been seen as impersonal and process-driven, prioritising legal aspects over the emotional and psychological needs of clients.

However, a shift is occurring. Law firms are increasingly recognising the importance of reducing the stress and trauma that clients face when dealing with legal matters. This is particularly true in medical negligence cases, where clients have already been through incredibly difficult experiences. The goal is no longer just to win cases, but to ensure that clients feel supported, heard, and empowered throughout the legal process.

My vision for L&M MediLaw was to create a practice that did more than just represent clients. I wanted to build a firm that would actively reduce the stress and trauma often associated with legal proceedings. But turning this vision into a reality was more challenging than I had anticipated. While the industry is moving in the right direction, ensuring that clients are empowered and supported is easier said than done.

A personal mission to create change

The inspiration behind L&M MediLaw came from a deeply personal experience. When my daughter sustained a brain injury at birth, I found myself in the unfortunate position of being both a mother and a solicitor trying to navigate a challenging healthcare system. Despite my legal training, I was left feeling powerless, ignored, and overwhelmed by a process that seemed indifferent to our needs. This experience solidified my determination to create a law firm that could offer clients the voice I lacked.

My goal was to build a practice that put client care at the centre of everything we did. I wanted to ensure that clients felt involved and empowered throughout their legal journey, no matter how complex the cases were. However, I quickly realised that achieving this goal would require a complete rethinking of how we engaged with clients.

Building a trauma-informed and accessible practice

One of the first steps I took when establishing the firm was to ensure that our practice was both accessible and trauma-informed. We hired a disability consultant, Lois, who was instrumental in helping us shape how we interacted with clients. Lois helped us design a website that was not only easy to navigate but also ensured that our communication with clients was clear, empathetic, and accessible.

This commitment to accessibility required me to reconsider how we communicated complex legal concepts. It quickly became clear that explaining things like breach of duty or causation in plain English was not as simple as I had assumed. Creating resources, such as infographics and videos, that could break down these concepts for clients took time, but it was essential to ensuring that clients could fully engage with their cases without feeling overwhelmed by legal jargon.

We also introduced innovative solutions, such as video walkthroughs of our offices and a virtual clinic that allowed clients to book consultations online. These efforts aimed to reduce the anxiety clients often feel when approaching legal proceedings, particularly in medical negligence cases where they had already endured significant trauma.

A new approach to client engagement

In addition to improving accessibility, we wanted to find new ways to engage with clients and reduce the barriers they often face when seeking legal help. We created content focused on explaining key stages of a typical medical negligence claim. This included interviewing medical experts and legal counsel, providing clients with a clearer understanding of what to expect throughout the process.

One of the most successful innovations we introduced was the virtual clinic. By allowing clients to book their initial consultations online, we reduced the need for them to re-tell their stories multiple times, which helped prevent further traumatisation. This simple change had a profound impact on how clients engaged with us and helped foster a sense of trust and security right from the start.

The challenges of scaling and managing growth

Of course, building a law firm that prioritises client care and accessibility is not without its challenges. In the early days, I constantly worried that the phone wouldn’t ring. We took on higher-risk cases to grow the offering, which led to many sleepless nights and considerable stress. Soon, however, the opposite problem arose: the phone wouldn’t stop ringing, and we struggled to keep up with the demand without compromising our values.

Scaling up presented its own set of difficulties, particularly in terms of people management and budgeting. I underestimated the time and effort required to train new hires and overestimated my ability to manage a heavy caseload while also overseeing the firm's growth. However, these experiences taught me important lessons about delegation, people management, and the importance of prioritising our core mission above all else.

Moving forward: Progress, but more work to be done

The legal profession has undoubtedly come a long way in terms of accessibility and client care. However, while progress is being made, there is still much work to be done.

Accessibility remains a significant challenge, particularly for clients with disabilities or those who have experienced trauma. Law firms need to continue innovating and finding ways to make the legal process easier and less stressful for all clients. Diversity, too, remains an issue. While strides have been made, the legal profession is still predominantly led by individuals from certain demographic backgrounds. Ensuring that people from all walks of life can enter and thrive in the legal field is crucial to building a truly inclusive profession.

At L&M MediLaw, we are committed to continuing our efforts to create a more accessible and compassionate legal service. We believe that by focusing on client care, reducing trauma, and pushing for greater inclusivity, we can contribute to a more humane and supportive legal profession. The road ahead may be long, but with dedication and perseverance, we believe that real change is not just possible, but inevitable.