How I Provide Legal Services Through Aubergine Legal
Choosing the right legal adviser is an important decision. I provide legal services through Aubergine Legal. I am Clare Veal, a solicitor regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) in my personal capacity, but Aubergine Legal is not itself an SRA-authorised or regulated law firm. This page explains what that means for you before you decide to instruct me.
I am an experienced solicitor and I qualified in 2002. I am authorised and regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) in my personal capacity. I am required to comply with the same professional and ethical standards expected of all solicitors, including the SRA Standards and Regulations. However, my authorisation and regulation by the SRA applies to me personally only. It does not apply to Aubergine Legal Limited (which is the company through which I provide my legal services). As Aubergine Legal is not a law firm it is classed as an unregulated organisation and is not authorised or regulated by the SRA.
How is this different from instructing a traditional law firm?
The main difference is the way legal services are delivered. Rather than instructing an SRA-authorised law firm, you would be instructing me as a solicitor providing services through Aubergine Legal, which is not a regulated law firm. This often enables a more flexible and accessible service, and you can be assured that you will be working with me throughout, rather than communicating via assistants or other team members. Because Aubergine Legal is not SRA-authorised, some of the regulatory protections that apply when you instruct a regulated law firm may not apply, as explained further below.
Because Aubergine Legal is not an SRA-authorised law firm, I am not required to hold professional indemnity insurance that meets the SRA’s compulsory minimum terms and conditions. However, I do maintain professional indemnity insurance up to £2,000,000. I believe this to be appropriate to the services I provide.
Can I be confident that you are regulated?
Yes. I am individually authorised and regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority in my personal capacity. I must comply with the SRA's Standards and Regulations, act with integrity, maintain client confidentiality and always act in my clients' best interests. This personal regulation does not, however, mean that Aubergine Legal is regulated by the SRA.
What legal work can a solicitor working for an unregulated company carry out?
A solicitor practising via an unregulated company can advise on a broad range of legal matters, although there are some restrictions on the reserved legal activities they can undertake depending on how they practise (for example conveyancing or litigation). They also do not hold client money, meaning they will not provide services that require them to receive or manage funds on behalf of clients.
By way of example, I assist with various commercial, intellectual property, data protection, e-commerce, media and marketing, computer game software and IT law matters – none of these are ‘reserved legal activities’.
Can a solicitor acting via an unregulated company act for businesses and individuals?
Yes. I work with businesses and entrepreneurs, providing practical legal advice tailored to their commercial objectives.
Will I work directly with you?
Yes. One of the benefits of instructing Aubergine Legal is that you'll deal directly with me, Clare Veal. I will handle your matter from start to finish. This means you'll receive consistent advice, clear communication and a personal service throughout.
Is there any protection available to clients?
Because I provide services through Aubergine Legal, which is not an SRA-authorised law firm, some of the protections available when you instruct a regulated firm may differ. In particular, you may not have the right to apply to the SRA Compensation Fund. However, you do have the right to complain about the standard of service you receive from me: if you are not satisfied with the outcome of the Aubergine Legal internal complaints process, or if your complaint is not resolved within eight weeks, you have the right to refer your complaint to the Legal Ombudsman. I will tell you about this right both when you instruct me and if you make a complaint. I remain personally regulated by the SRA and personally accountable for the legal work I carry out for you.
Can we work together remotely?
Yes. Most legal services can be provided remotely by email, telephone or video call, making it easy to receive legal advice wherever you're based in England and Wales.
How do I make a complaint?
I am committed to providing a high-quality legal service. If you are unhappy about any aspect of the service you receive, or about a bill, please contact me in the first instance at clare@auberginelegal.co.uk so that I can try to resolve the matter. I will acknowledge your complaint promptly and set out how it will be handled and the timescale for my response.
Because Aubergine Legal is not an SRA-authorised law firm, you have the right to refer your complaint about the standard of my service to the Legal Ombudsman if you are dissatisfied with the outcome of Aubergine Legal’s internal complaints process or if it is not resolved within eight weeks. If your complaint concerns my professional conduct or a breach of the SRA Standards and Regulations, you can raise this with the Solicitors Regulation Authority.
If you have any questions please don't hesitate to contact me Clare@auberginelegal.co.uk