Alternative Business Structure (ABS) Application Experts
- ABS Applications
- New Firm Applications
- Add a Manager or Owner (FA2)
- COLP and COFA Applications
- AML Applications
- Employee Ownership Trusts (EOTs)
- Freelance Solicitors
- DIY Check and Send
- SRA Reports and Notifications
- Insurance Distribution and Financial Services
- Firm Closure and Run-off Support
- Diversity Surveys
- Law firm M&A and Investment
Get in touch to with us
Got a COLP, COFA or ABS question? Don’t hesitate to get in touch.
SRA Applications
ABS Applications
Launching a new, innovative legal service? Converting your existing firm into an ABS? We’ll get your ABS licence application sorted sooner — and more smoothly — than you might think.
- 100% Success Rate
- Unrivalled ABS experience
- Full project management
- Minimal burden on your management team
- Expert compliance and risk advice
What is an ABS?
An Alternative Business Structure (ABS) allows non-lawyers to own or manage regulated law firms under the Legal Services Act 2007. Whether you’re an established firm or entering the legal services market for the first time, an ABS offers flexibility—external investment, new ownership models, and the ability to innovate across legal services.
Why choose us?
We’ve advised on hundreds of ABS projects and have obtained a significant number of licences issued since 2012. Our deep experience means we know what the SRA expects—and how to deliver an application that meets those expectations.
We balance compliance with commercial reality. We’ll help you meet your regulatory duties without unnecessary bureaucracy.
Our ABS clients usually stay with us for our ongoing compliance services, which speaks volumes about the trust and value they find in our work.
What we do
We handle every stage of your ABS application, end to end, so you don’t get bogged down:
- Getting application ready
We review your proposed business model, governance, ownership, risk map and identify possible sticking points. Then we help you put in place what’s needed to satisfy the SRA from Day One. - Project managing the process
From drafting to submission, we keep things moving: coordinating tasks, liaising with you (and the SRA), keeping to deadlines, and ensuring momentum doesn’t stall. - Building your compliance backbone
We help design and/or adapt your systems so your COLP & COFA can reliably discharge SRA duties: reporting, breach handling, governance, oversight, documentation. - Preparing the documentation
Policies, procedures, template documents, ABS application forms — we provide what is necessary and ensure everything is properly aligned.
What it costs
Our fees are transparent and manageable:
- We typically work on a fixed fee basis, or hourly rate if you prefer.
- Fee depends on complexity: size of applicant, ownership structure, intertwined entities, risk profile, etc.
- SRA application/licensing fees are not included.
Contact us for a quote tailored to your situation.
Beyond getting licensed
Getting the ABS licence is one thing. Staying compliant is another. That’s where our ongoing support comes in:
- Advisory support for COLP / COFA to discharge their roles effectively
- Regular compliance health-checks, review of policies, training, risk assessments
- Ongoing regulatory monitoring so you stay ahead of changes, not behind them
- High quality compliance training for you and your team – on demand and in person.
Want to know more?
Request a call back from our expert team.
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