Here are some of the most common questions we encounter:

What is The Law Lab? The Law Lab is a legal consultancy that provides legal support services. We are not a firm regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA), and therefore, we cannot carry out reserved legal activities such as representing you in court or conducting litigation.

What services can you help me with? We can support you with a wide range of administrative and preparatory tasks, including:

• Drafting and organising documents
• Preparing court bundles
• Helping you prepare for hearings
• Managing correspondence through our Communication Service
• Offering McKenzie Friend-style support for litigants in person (outside court)

These tasks are permitted because they are not reserved legal activities.

Do solicitors complete my documents? No, but your documents are completed by trained lawyers who have experience completing these tasks while working within the law firm environment, so they have plenty of experience.

What is McKenzie Friend-style support? This means you remain a litigant in person, meaning you are handling your case without a solicitor. We assist you by:

• Helping you prepare documents
• Organising your case papers
• Providing guidance outside the courtroom

We do not address the court, speak on your behalf, or act as your representative. But in some cases, the judge will allow us to assist you to ease the progression of the matter.

Can you communicate with the court or the other party on my behalf?

Yes—if you choose our Communication Service, we can send and receive correspondence on your behalf.
However, in this role, we only pass on your instructions and do not provide legal advice as part of the communication process. 1

Do you offer legal advice?

We can offer legal guidance and drafting support, but we do not:
Conduct litigation
Represent you in court
Give regulated legal advice in reserved areas
Provide services that require SRA authorisation.

Where your matter requires a solicitor or barrister, we will let you know and can help refer you to one. 

Are you regulated?

We are ICO-regulated for data protection and privacy.

We are not SRA regulated, which means:
Some protections available in solicitor-client relationships (like legal professional privilege) may not apply in the same way.
We are not required to carry professional indemnity insurance under the SRA minimum terms. Clients cannot claim from the SRA Compensation Fund 1

The Law Lab stands out through our focused expertise in administrative and preparatory legal support, specifically designed for individuals navigating the legal system without traditional solicitor representation. Our McKenzie Friend-style support is a key differentiator, offering crucial assistance to litigants in person. We provide a cost-effective alternative for essential legal administration, ensuring clarity, organisation, and effective preparation, all while maintaining strict adherence to our unregulated status.

The most common misunderstanding is often about the difference between legal support services and legal advice or representation. As an unregulated consultancy, we clarify that we cannot act as solicitors.

Our role is to empower individuals by providing comprehensive administrative and document support, guiding them through processes, and helping them organise information, rather than providing legal opinions or representing them in formal proceedings.