The Legal Department of the UAE's integrated telecommunications service provider -du has become the first organisation in the UAE to be awarded with the prestigious Lexcel quality standard by the Law Society of England & Wales

Dubai, UAE,  24 March 2014: Lexcel is the Law Society of England and Wales' internationally-recognised practice management standard. The Lexcel standard is only awarded to law firms and in-house legal departments who meet the highest management and customer care standards. Lexcel-accredited organisations undergo rigorous independent assessment every year to ensure they meet required standards of excellence in areas such as client care, case management and risk management. Unlike other quality standards, Lexcel was written specifically for the legal profession.

Anneliese Reinhold, General Counsel and SVP Legal & Regulatory Affairs at du, said:"In house legal teams have a vital role to play at the heart of large businesses. We understand and value the importance of Lexcel, and securing this prestigious accreditation sends a message to all our stakeholders that we invest in high standards of legal services based on internationally-recognised best practices. We believe that Lexcel has helped us to identify the multi-faceted nature of the drivers affecting quality. The benefits of adopting Lexcel have been both tangible and significant. At a holistic level, we are certain that the positive effects of this recognition have been beneficial not only to the legal department but to the wider organisation the Department sits within."
Andrew Bean, Director at JRS Consultants, said:"Assisting du in the achievement of Lexcel has been enormously satisfying. The Lexcel standard is an onerous undertaking for any organisation. In the case of du there were many unique challenges along the way because it was the first of its kind. The way the organisation rose to these challenges was incredibly impressive. du's strong leadership and team 'buy-in' were essential components in achieving a robust Lexcel implementation."

Following the Law Society's recent decision to widen the scope of Lexcel to become an international standard, with this honour du joins a distinct and rarefied community of only 17 organisations holding this accreditation outside England & Wales and just over 1500 UK legal practices, both in-house and private.
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Notes for Editors
Lexcel is the Law Society of England & Wales' international practice management standard. It is a scheme for any type of practice to certify that certain standards have been met following independent assessment. The Lexcel practice management standard is only awarded to organisations who meet the highest management and customer care standards. Lexcel accredited practices undergo rigorous independent assessment every year to ensure they meet required standards of excellence in areas such as client care, case management and risk management.

Lexcel assessment is available to any size or type of practice including in-house, local government and sole practitioners. All applicants must undergo an assessment process by a Law Society-approved independent assessment body. Lexcel accreditation is valid for three years and is subject to annual monitoring visits. Lexcel can also be combined with other quality standards.

Lexcel provides professionals in law firms and in-house legal departments internationally with a flexible, supportive management framework to help develop greater operational efficiencies, manage risk effectively, reduce costs and promote profitability.Research and feedback from Lexcel accredited practices has identified the following benefits:
• effective risk management leading to fewer claims or complaints 
• better customer service leading to increased client retention 
• lower insurance premiums or favourable treatment from insurers 
• improved marketability and competitive advantage 
• increased success in tenders and panel reviews 
• helping to demonstrate best value compliance
• consistency of service from all lawyers and practice groups 
• help with new practice rules 
• increased profitability
JRS Consultants are international Lexcel-accredited management consultants based in the UK. As specialist consultants to law firms, JRS have assisted a large variety of legal organisations achieve Lexcel accreditation. For more information contact Andrew Bean, Director, telephone: +44 (0)1642 225 553 mobile +44 (0)797 029 0036, email jrs@we-are-jrs.co.uk, website: www.jrsconsultants-uk.com. 
 
For more information about the Law Society Lexcel international quality standard, please contact Bryn Hughes, Lead Product Manager (Accreditation Schemes), telephone: +44 (0)20 7316 5503, mobile: (0)7791 621 093, email bryn.hughes@lawsociety.org.uk, website: www.lawsociety.org.uk/lexcel.

About du  
We opened for business in 2006. We offer mobile and fixed telephony, broadband connectivity and IPTV services to individuals, homes and businesses. We also provide carrier services for businesses and satellite up/downlink services for TV broadcasters.

As a rapidly-growing enterprise, we have a team of experts working to enhance and expand our bouquet of service offerings. Our people come from over 60 countries - we mirror the rich cultural diversity of our nation, while being able to serve our customers in a variety of languages.

Over 50% of our senior management team and customer-facing employees are UAE nationals, and we remain committed to providing fulfilling opportunities for quality talent in a cosmopolitan working environment.

By the end of Q4 2013, more than 7.4 million people and over 50,000 businesses have chosen to use our services. In a survey conducted by ARC Chart, we were named the Best Mobile Broadband Network 2012 in the Middle East and Africa region. We also ranked first in MENA's Standard & Poor/Hawkamah Environmental, Social and Corporate Governance Index in 2011.  

du is 39.5 percent owned by Emirates Investment Authority, 20.081 percent by Mubadala Development Company PJSC, 19.5 percent by Emirates Communications and Technology LLC and the remaining stake by public shareholders. du is listed on the Dubai Financial Market (DFM) and trades under the name 'du'.

For further information, please contact: Saugat Chatterjee
Public Relations Manager 
Brand & Communications
du
Mobile: +971 55 9367045
Email: saugat.chatterjee@du.ae

Reka Sepsy
LeoComm PR
Tel: +971 4 367 6154 
Mobile: +971 55 220 68 20
Fax: +971 4 367 2615
Email:reka.sepsy@leocommpr.com

© Press Release 2014