Small Business Framework - Research - The Legal Services Board
Small Business Framework - Research - The Legal Services Board
Small Business Framework - Research - The Legal Services Board
You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles
YUMPU automatically turns print PDFs into web optimized ePapers that Google loves.
Although"lawyers"were"not"the"most"utilised"sources"of"advice"in"the"BIS"<br />
survey,"a"majority"of"the"issues"about"which"advice"was"sought"appear"to"have"<br />
had"a"legal"dimension."This"may"link"to"a"‘market"entry’"or"‘perception’"issue"for"<br />
the" legal" profession," as" many" owner]managers" of" SMEs" choose" to" go" to" other"<br />
professionals" in" the" first" instance," even" with" problems" that" ultimately" may"<br />
require"a"solicitor"(see"for"example,"NatWest"SERTeam"2007)."<br />
Consistent"with"the"BIS"survey"findings,"the"1997"University"of"Cambridge"<br />
Centre" for" <strong>Business</strong>" <strong>Research</strong>" (CBR)" National" <strong>Small</strong>" and" Medium" Size" <strong>Business</strong>"<br />
Survey" found" that" over" a" 3" year" period" 83%" of" SMEs" had" made" use" of" an"<br />
accountant," and" 56%" had" made" use" of" a" solicitor" (Bennett" and" Robson" 1999)."<br />
Growing" firms" were" most" likely" to" have" sought" external" advice," and" advice"<br />
seeking" was" also" linked" to" business" size," with" larger" businesses" more" likely" to"<br />
have"obtained"external"advice."Again,"much"external"advice"had"an"evident"legal"<br />
dimension,"even"if"not"from"a"lawyer."<br />
In"the"remainder"of"this"sub]section,"we"set"out"the"findings"from"previous"<br />
small"business"‘legal"need’"surveys"along"with"the"findings"from"AIA"<strong>Research</strong>’s"<br />
qualitative"study"for"the"<strong>Legal</strong>"<strong>Services</strong>"<strong>Board</strong>."<br />
"<br />
<strong>The</strong>'Connecticut'Survey'<br />
As"indicated"in"Section"3,"the"Connecticut"survey"explored"a"range"of"both"non]<br />
contentious"‘preventative’"issues"and"contentious"‘matters"for"adjustment’"(Clark"<br />
and"Corstvet"1938)."<strong>The</strong>"survey"found"that"almost"no"outside"help"was"obtained"<br />
in" respect" of" non]contentious" issues" (6%" of" issues)." Outside" help" was" most"<br />
common"in"the"case"of"tax"returns,"but"even"here"it"was"reported"on"only"15%"of"<br />
occasions."In"the"case"of"contentious"issues,"more"than"half"of"issues"led"to"advice"<br />
being" obtained." Advice" was" most" common" in" relation" to" unpaid" bills," owing" to"<br />
the"predominance"of"these"issues"among"‘matters"for"legal"adjustment’."<br />
Outside" advisors" were" most" often" privately" practicing" attorneys" (80%),"<br />
but" advice" was" also" sought" from" accountants," bill" collectors," an" insurance"<br />
company,"a"city"attorney"and"a"notary"public."<br />
"<br />
<strong>The</strong>'Hong'Kong'Survey'<br />
<strong>The</strong>" 2006" Hong" Kong" survey" found" that" 12%" of" SMEs" obtained" legal" services"<br />
through" a" retainer" agreement" with" an" external" legal" services" provider."<br />
Meanwhile,"6%"of"SMEs"were"found"to"have"in]house"lawyers"(though"this"figure"<br />
was" much" reduced" for" smaller" SMEs)," and" 0.4%" of" owners/directors" were"<br />
lawyers."<br />
<strong>The</strong>" Hong" Kong" survey" also" found" that" action" was" taken" to" resolve" just"<br />
over"two]thirds"of"‘important’"justiciable"problems"(Asia"Consulting"Group"and"<br />
Policy"21"2008)."Where"no"action"was"taken,"it"was"most"often"because"there"was"<br />
‘no"need’,"or"because"of"concerns"about"time"(21%)"or"money"(16%)."Action"was"<br />
least"common"in"the"case"of"workplace"injury/illness."Where"action"was"taken,"it"<br />
! 23!