Accreditations

We are authorised and regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA), the independent regulatory body created by the Law Society, regulating the solicitors and law firms of England and Wales. The SRA set the Principles and a Code of Conduct that we have to abide by in order to provide legal services.

More information on the SRA can be found on the SRA website.

Personal Injury

Many legal practitioners earn special recognition for their expertise in particular areas of law by achieving membership in the Law Society's accreditation schemes. By choosing Levenes Solicitors, you can rest assured that you have chosen a representative that adheres to the highest standards in legal service provision with appropriate knowledge, skills and expertise to match.

More information on this scheme can be found on The Law Society website.

A number of our solicitors are also Members of the Personal Injury Panel. The Association of Personal Injury Lawyers aims to put you in touch with legal practitioners who provide advice on and assistance with claims arising from personal injury. Personal Injury Accreditation Scheme members, all of whom are either solicitors or legal executives (i.e. Fellows of the Institute of Legal Executives, or FILEXs), can also provide advice to relatives of people who have been fatally injured.

More information on the Association of Personal Injury Lawyers can be found on the APIL website.

Criminal Law

Staff in our Criminal deparment are members of the Criminal Litigation Accreditation Scheme. Membership enables solicitors to apply to the Criminal Defence Service for inclusion in duty solicitor schemes. All firms that perform publicly funded criminal defence work have at least one ‘duty solicitor’. Duty solicitors are called to police stations to advise and assist people who would otherwise have no legal representation. They also provide advocacy services at magistrates courts, assisting people who do not have their own legal representatives.

More information on this scheme can be found on The Law Society website.

Levenes are also members of The Criminal Defence Service (CDS). The CDS guarantees that people under police investigation or facing criminal charges can get legal advice and representation.

By ensuring that people accused of crimes have access to legal advice and representation, the CDS also helps the police and courts operate fairly and efficiently.

More information on the CDS can be found on the Legal Services Commission website.

Education, Disability & Public Law

We hold the Legal Services Commission's Specialist Quality Mark for our work in Education & Disability. The SQM is a quality assurance standard for legal services providers that we are able to supply complex legal help and offer a full range of legal services, including representation in court (where necessary and permitted) by formally trained professionals.

Our Education & Disability department has been recognised by both the Legal 500 and Chambers and Partners as one of the leaders in our field. 

This team "really knows its stuff" and "is staying true to the disability and SEN nature of the practice." Able to "work cases very well," the team advises clients on SEN, admissions and exclusions, and school transport. - Chambers UK 2013

“This team is 'very knowledgeable on educationlaw' and continues to "pull in all the good cases. It is best known for its expertise in SEN, but also advises on a range of issues including admissions and exclusions, transport difficulties and judicial reviews.” - Chambers UK 2010

"They prepare their cases brilliantly, know everything and can spot the key points and run with them." - Chambers UK 2009

"Chris Barnett is ‘doing a sterling job’ handling the firm’s core work in SEN (Special Educational Needs) and disability discrimination." - Legal 500 2010"

"Levenes are well respected for their expertise in SEN matters" - Legal 500 2011

More information on Chambers and Partners as well as the Legal 500 can be found on their websites.