Guide on Finding a Solicitor

This guidance was added to the manual in July 2013.

The guidance below sets out how to locate a list of solicitors when issuing a letter before proceedings or care proceedings. Social Workers should provide details to parents/interested parties regarding how to locate the list of solicitors via the Law Society website. It may be appropriate to enter the town in which the parent/interested party resides if the address is on the county border.

Social workers should also ensure that the list of solicitors is printed off and provided to parents/interested parties whenever a letter before proceedings or care proceedings is issued.

A list of solicitors can be found on the Law Society website by following the instructions below:

  • Go to www.lawsociety.org.uk;
  • Click on “Find a Solicitor” next to The Law Society logo;
  • The “pro search” should automatically show;
  • Under “Type”, “Organisation” will automatically be selected;
  • Deselect “including in-house legal teams, government departments and other employers”;
  • Enter the location;
  • Under “Area of Practice” select “Children”;
  • Under “Second Area of Practice” select “Family”;
  • Click on “More Options” and select “Accepts Legal Aid”;
  • Click “Search”;
  • The page will then show the results of solicitors firms within a 25 mile radius of the location you have entered.