In short, what is happening at Outset?
The Outset Group is bringing its legal division into its advisory and consulting division and shortening the name of the business to Outset Limited. These changes will take place on or around 16th March 2022. The exact date depends on when the regulator (SRA) confirms its approval.
Why are we doing it?
The Group continues to grow as we provide more services to more clients that deliberately cut across traditional advice boundaries in order to provide best value to clients from the most suitable specialists. We have decided that it is in the best interest of clients and the Group to have a simpler clearer structure with legal, consulting and advisory services all provided by Outset (UK) Ltd and all regulated by one single regulator; the SRA.
At the same time, we have decided to shorten the name of the combined business simply to Outset Limited.
What should you do next?
The questions and answers below are intended to enable informed decisions where required and to provide additional information.
If we have emailed you to ask for your approval to transfer a current matter on which Outset Legal LLP is advising and / or to allow us to transfer funds we hold on your behalf or in relation to legal advice that we are providing you, please then press ‘reply all’ on the email and simply type ‘confirmed’, ‘approved’, ‘agreed’ or a similar word to ensure we are clear about your consent.
If you have additional question please contact standards@outsetuk.com
If we have emailed you simply to inform or notify you of these changes then there is nothing further that you must do once you have worked through this information that we have provided to you. If you have additional question please contact standards@outsetuk.com
What impact does this have on your business if we are currently providing legal advice from Outset Legal LLP?
If Outset Legal LLP, is currently advising you on one or more issues we will have contacted you to ask for you to confirm your approval of us continuing to provide that advice within the new combined SRA regulated business, Outset Limited.
Clients that are businesses (by far the majority of our clients) will already have contractual agreements with Outset Limited as well as with Outset Legal LLP. Once you confirm this, the legal advice (provided in future by Outset Limited) will simply continue under the existing agreement you already have with Outset Limited.
It will continue to be provided by the same legal team, under the agreement you already have with Outset Limited on the same pricing arrangements and charge out rates and with the same high standards of care and attention. The same insurer will be providing professional indemnity insurance under the same terms. The advice will still be provided by a solicitor practice regulated by the SRA. In effect, nothing will change for you other than the insurance policy number of our professional indemnity insurers and the SRA registered number of the provider.
We will be updating the Legal Regulatory & Complaints page on our website to reflect the changes. You can find a copy of the information that will apply from the date of completion by clicking here. There are relatively few changes to the page as Outset Legal LLP and Outset (UK) Ltd already applied consistent SRA compliant complaints procedures. However, the page will (as soon as it is available) show the new SRA number, confirm insurer details and provide other important information, including in relation to SRA regulated businesses such as Outset Limited.
You are of course always entitled to seek a second opinion or even arrange for a matter to be handled by other lawyers.
What impact does this have on you personally if we are currently providing you with legal advice from Outset Legal LLP?
If Outset Legal LLP, is currently advising you on one or more issues we will have contacted you to ask for you to confirm your approval of us continuing to provide that advice within the new combined SRA regulated business, Outset Limited.
Individual legal clients (ie those that are not businesses) will currently have a contract with Outset Legal LLP. Once you confirm approval, the legal advice (provided in future by Outset Limited) will simply continue to be provided by the same legal team, on the same pricing arrangements and charge out rates and with the same high standards of care and attention. The same insurer will be providing professional indemnity insurance under the same terms. The advice will still be provided by a solicitor practice regulated by the SRA. Outset Limited will be agreeing to handle the work on the terms and conditions you previously agreed with Outset Legal LLP; save that the provider will be Outset Limited and the insurance policy number of our professional indemnity insurers and the SRA registered number of the provider will change.
We will be updating the Legal Regulatory & Complaints page on our website to reflect the changes. You can find a copy of the information that will apply from the date of completion by clicking here. There are relatively few changes to the page as Outset Legal LLP and Outset (UK) Ltd already applied consistent SRA compliant complaints procedures. However, the page will show the new SRA number, confirm insurer details and provide other important information, including in relation to SRA regulated businesses such as Outset Limited.
You are of course always entitled to seek a second opinion or even arrange for your matter to be handled by other lawyers.
What impact will this have on client funds we hold?
Outset Limited has a new client account with a new bank account number. It is subject to exactly the same levels of scrutiny, regulation and protection as the Client Account of Outset Legal LLP. Holding client funds safely is always extremely important to us.
If we are holding client funds for you or your business in relation to advice that you are currently receiving from Outset Legal LLP, we are asking you to confirm your approval to those funds moving from Outset Legal LLP’s Client Account to Outset Limited’s client account when you confirm your approval of Outset Limited continuing to advise you on your current matter.
When you confirm your approval to Outset Limited continuing to advise you, that approval will include your approval of us moving your funds to Outset Limited’s Client Account.
If we are likely to require client funds from you shortly (eg to complete a pending business or property purchase) we will provide you with details of the correct Client Account to send funds to. Once the transition to Outset Limited is complete, that will always be the Client Account of Outset Limited.
Please ensure that funds are sent to the correct account. If you have any concerns please always speak with your Outset legal team before sending funds. They may also put you in touch with our finance and banking team.
Will this change invoice payment arrangements?
As a business client you are likely to have both Outset Limited and Outset Legal LLP set up as payees on your purchasing system (as you will already have contractual agreements with both). In future, as part of the simplification process, invoices will come from Outset Limited.
Outset Limited’s bank account details for invoice payment remain the same, although the company’s name has changed from Outset (UK) Ltd to Outset Limited. If for any reason you do not have Outset Limited set up as a payee please speak to your Outset legal team or your regular contact in our finance and banking team so they can assist you.
As an individual client, when you approve Outset Ltd continuing to act, future invoices will come from Outset Limited rather than Outset Legal LLP. The payment account details will therefore change. The new details will be shown on the invoice you receive.
If you make a payment to the old Outset Legal LLP account in error over the next few months, don’t worry as we will work to ensure that it reaches the correct account as quickly as possible. Just let your Outset legal team know so that we can look out for it.
Will our VAT number change?
No. Outset Legal LLP and Outset Limited already have the same group VAT number. Nothing will change there.
What happens if Outset Legal LLP is holding deeds or original documents for you?
Outset Limited is taking on the legal rights and responsibilities of Outset Legal LLP. If we are holding deeds or original documents for you then it will be because we have advised you in the past and holding them is part of that agreement. As a result, the original deeds and documents will pass to the care of Outset Limited on the same terms as applied to Outset Legal LLP.
If at any stage you want to have those deeds and documents returned to you, let us know and we will make the rearrangements. Just contact the Outset lawyer who advised you or call our main number.
What happens to records of previous advice, our insurance and historic liabilities?
All the rights and obligations of Outset Legal LLP will pass to Outset Limited which will be defined as a Successor Practice to Outset Legal LLP. This means Outset Limited will also continue to be responsible for advice given by Outset Legal LLP in the past and Outset Limited’s insurers will take responsibility for Outset Legal LLP advice in the past as if it had been given by Outset Limited.
The records of previous advice given by Outset Legal LLP will be held by Outset Limited. As with all law firms, records are destroyed after a period of time. The original terms of your agreement with Outset Legal LLP will confirm the minimum period for which those records are retained. Otherwise they will, as a minimum be held for the period recommended by the SRA.
What impact will this have on your business if we are not currently providing legal advice from Outset Legal LLP?
If you are a business and have received advice from Outset Legal LLP or Outset Limited during the last three years, you will already have agreed terms and conditions with both businesses.
The legal advice (provided in future by Outset Limited) will simply continue under the existing contract you already have with Outset Limited. In effect, nothing will change for you other than the insurance policy number of our professional indemnity insurers and the SRA registered number of the provider.
If it is more than three years since you received advice from Outset Legal LLP or Outset Limited you may have agreed terms and conditions with both businesses under which we may provide you with legal advice. However, we will probably ask you to enter into new terms and conditions with Outset Limited.
If you are an individual seeking legal advice who has previously had legal advice from Outset Legal LLP we will probably ask you to enter into new terms and conditions with Outset Limited.
In any event, we will be updating the Legal Regulatory & Complaints page on our website to reflect the changes. You can find a copy of the information that will apply from the date of completion by clicking here. There are relatively few changes to the page as Outset Legal LLP and Outset (UK) Ltd already applied consistent SRA compliant complaints procedures. However, the page will show the new SRA number, confirm insurer details and provide other important information, including in relation to SRA regulated businesses such as Outset Limited.
What impact will this have on your business if we have never provided legal advice to you from Outset Legal LLP?
If you are a business and have received advice or support from Outset Limited but not Outset Legal LLP we may provide legal advice to you based on the terms you previously agreed with Outset Limited. However, we are likely to ask you to sign new terms and conditions.
Either way, we will be updating the Legal Regulatory & Complaints page on our website to reflect the changes and as you have not received legal advice from us before, you should ensure that you familiarise yourself with the information that will apply from the date of completion by clicking here.
You receive advice training or support from UK Health, Safety & Environmental Training Limited. Is that changing too?
No. The Outset Group will continue to operate two separate trading businesses. Your existing agreement with UK Health, Safety & Environmental Training Limited will continue to apply.
Outset Limited and UK Health, Safety & Environmental Training Limited will only signpost, refer you to or recommend each other where they believe this to be in your best interests. More information is available here about how the businesses work together to enable you to make informed decisions before choosing to take advice.
Where UK Health, Safety & Environmental Training Limited signposts or recommends Outset Limited for legal work, you always have the option to instruct another law firm instead. However, in some circumstances the cost of seeking legal advice from Outset Limited may be included in the package of support that you have purchased from the Outset Group whereas if you choose to obtain the advice elsewhere it will be at your own expense.
