All APIL members sign up to the APIL code of conduct when they join the association. Membership on its own, however, is not evidence of experience, expertise, nor competence which is why many members apply for accreditation. The APIL accreditation scheme is well established with great credentials and has been running since September 1999. Look out for the quality mark logos below.
Accreditation is granted on an individual and firm basis.
An accredited injury lawyer will:
An accredited lawyer's profile will generally display one of the logos below along with their biographical details. You can also ask them about their experience in dealing with your particular type of injury.
You may wish to contact more than one accredited member; each one will be able to give you initial advice for free. You would be under no obligation at that point.
There are different levels of accreditation which APIL lawyers can achieve depending on their experience and areas of specialisation.
Senior litigators, fellows and senior fellows will usually have at least 5, 10 or 15 years’ experience respectively of handling claims.
If you see the logo, you can rest assured that you have gone to the right person.
Many accredited members specialise in particular types of case, such as:
It’s really important that, when you search for a lawyer, you indicate what kind of injury you have suffered, so you can get the right lawyer working for you as quickly as possible.
Our lawyers are committed to acting in the best interests of injured people. Find out more about what drives them by reading our Why I became a personal injury lawyer page.
Accredited firms must fulfil several criteria including a commitment to:
As part of keeping up-to-date with all the latest legal developments accredited specialists must accrue a percentage of their training hours in each of their specialist fields. Each member’s training log is rigorously vetted, along with the quality of the training to ensure that it meets APIL’s standards.
Accredited members must also confirm they continue to meet the accreditation standards every five years.
Firms may also hold corporate accreditation. An accredited member must work at each accredited branch of a firm. Independent assessors carry out visits to accredited firms, on behalf of APIL, to ensure that all criteria are being adhered to.
If individuals and firms do not comply with the above, they lose their accreditation.