* A new solicitor-led national law firm franchise has been launched by West Midlands law firm Blakemores, with plans to extend to Europe and the US.

The Lawyers2you franchise is being spearheaded by Blakemores’ managing partner Guy Barnett.

It will be trialled by six firms in stages before being rolled out across the country in January 2012.

Blakemores will convert to an alternative business structure, and plans to seek external finance to extend the project internationally.

The Lawyers2you name has been used as part of Blakemores’ direct marketing strategy since January 2010, but this is the first time it has launched a franchise model for other firms under that name.

Blakemores has placed Lawyers2you stands in heavy footfall locations such as shopping centres. They are manned by paralegals, who direct prospective clients to free legal advice through information brochures, or by telephoning a call centre.

Under the new arrangement, where problems require a lawyer, consumers will be referred to the local Lawyers2you franchise member, with whom an appointment can be made on the spot.

Hampshire firm Kiteleys, which has offices in Bournemouth and Southampton, will be the first firm to take part in the franchise pilot and firms in Surrey and Nottinghamshire and Leicester, will join in October, followed in November by firms in Northamptonshire, Shrewsbury and Telford and Cheltenham and Gloucester.

Mr Barnett plans to add two new member firms per month throughout 2012, growing to 30 members by the end of the year.

Adding two to three firms a month throughout 2013, he aims to have 60 members covering the whole of the UK by the end of 2013.

During the same period, he said he also plans to extend the initiative into Europe and North America, and once Blakemores has converted to an ABS, it will be seeking funding to help achieve that.

Members will pay an annual fee, dependent on their size and the number of stands they have.

To be eligible to join, firms should be equipped to offer a full range of legal services; conduct legal aid work; be Lexcel-accredited or demonstrate a commitment to achieve this; and have a good record with the Solicitors Regulation Authority.

Priority membership will be given to firms that are members of legal consultancy and trainer The 360 Legal Group, with whom Lawyers2you has entered into a marketing partnership.

Viv Williams, chief executive of The 360 Legal Group, said: “We believe that this means of lead generation and the franchise opportunity will be the most successful ‘brand’ entrant into the legal sector and will provide a genuine cost-effective opportunity for our members, without significant upfront fees.”

* Midlands law firm Challinors has launched a specialist service dedicated to providing professional mediation services across its range of legal advice for individuals and businesses.

Challinors Mediation Services is led by associate Pramila Meghani, an experienced mediator and specialist family lawyer, and is designed to deliver sensitive, speedy and economical resolutions to family and business disputes, according to the firm.

Ms Meghani works alongside Challinors extensive team of mediators that includes partners Peter McHugh, Nigel Sellar and Peter Lowe, and the firm’s senior partner Paul Griffiths.

“Our new service consolidates all aspects and types of mediation involving disputing parties, to bring them together with the aid of a highly skilled, independent third party to discuss and determine a means of settlement,” said Ms Meghani.

“The objective is to reach a mutual agreement without the cost, delay and intimidating circumstances of court proceedings, by providing a ‘safe space’, where frank discussions and detailed exploration of the implications of all solutions can be assessed.”

The new Challinors Mediation Service is available through the firm’s network of offices in Birmingham, West Bromwich and Nottingham.