The Co-operative is the first bank to offer customers legal services through its branches following the launch of a two-week pilot scheme.

The Co-operative Legal Services (CLS) has teamed up with The Co-operative Financial Services (CFS) to offer free legal advice in three Britannia branches in Bristol through ’drop-in’ sessions or appointments.

Once the pilot has finished, CLS will analyse the results to assess whether the service can be rolled out to all 350 Britannia and Co-operative Bank branches in the UK.

The Co-op has initiated the pilot ahead of the government’s Legal Services Act - due to come into force later this year - which will enable non-legal firms to create departments offering legal services and creates a new regulatory structure for the legal profession.

Rod Bulmer, managing director of retail at CFS, said: "This pilot scheme will enable us to assess how legal services can be delivered on the high street. If successful, there is clearly great potential to bring these services under one roof."

The Act will enable the development of legal disciplinary practices, which are firms that employ lawyers and up to 25 per cent non-lawyers while still providing legal services, and alternative business structures, which will allow external ownership of legal......Click HERE to read more