Openwork Partnership, the adviser network with 4,200 financial advisers, has tied up a deal with Co-op Legal Services to offer legal services to clients. 

Openwork says the Coronavirus pandemic has spurred demand for legal support from clients.

Under the terms of the new deal  Openwork Partnership advisers will be able to offer wills, probate, family law and employment law to advisers and their clients.

Openwork Partnership says the move is part of its recent rebrand and a strategy to offer more services to clients. 

The company says that demand for legal services, particularly wills, family and employment law has grown rapidly since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic.

More clients are realising the need for estate planning as well as help with employment and family issues, the firm says.

Co-op Legal Services research with advisers found that 79% believe better estate planning services would help them support their clients better and that half (50%) of couples have not made a will.

Paul Shearman, proposition director, mortgages & protection at The Openwork Partnership, said: "We wanted to partner with a firm to be able to deliver a broad range of legal services and the Co-op Legal Service’s award winning, digitally enabled proposition is exceptionally strong. We are sure it will be well received by advisers and their clients at a time when the recognition of the importance of many of the services available has increased significantly as a result of the pandemic.”

Jonathan Appleby, Co-op Legal Services’ head of corporate partners, said: “Legal services can play an important part in underpinning someone’s financial wellbeing and we look forward to providing support to The Openwork Partnership’s advisers and their clients.”

As part of the tie-up The Openwork Partnership advisers will be able to offer a “holistic approach” to advice on legal services before referring clients to Co-op Legal Services through its online portal for further advice and support with producing legal documents.