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Law firms are overwhelmingly failing to follow up referrals for basic legal work from comparison websites, in what is described today as a “massive own goal by the profession”. In a mystery shopping exercise, eight out of ten online referral requests for a simple will were ignored.

This week marks the end of a consultation by the Legal Ombudsman (LeO) on its strategy for the next three years and its business plan for 2012-13. Among other things, it asked for initial responses on whether it should activate the power given to LeO in section 164 of the Legal Services Act to add a voluntary jurisdiction to its statutory one. The idea, says Elizabeth France, chair of LeO’s parent body, the Office for Legal Complaints, is to “fill gaps in access to free and fair redress for consumers of legal services”.

The Legal Services Board is planning to reduce its levy on the legal profession by 9% next year, it announced yesterday while outlining its plans for 2012/13 and wider strategic objectives for the next three years.

The Legal Ombudsman is to float the idea of extending its jurisdiction so as to handle complaints against will-writers, in a bid to ease the problems faced by consumers who think they are regulated, Legal Futures can report.

The Insolvency Service last week presented petitions to wind up three will-writing businesses. The news comes as the Legal Services Board issues a call for evidence on whether to make will-writing, the entire probate process and estate administration reserved legal activities.