The Openwork Partnership has teamed up with Co-op Legal Services to offer legal services.

The deal leans that the Openwork Partnership will offer a range of legal support services, including wills, probate, family law and employment law to advisers and their clients.

The network said the expansion into legal services builds on its rebrand. It says that demand for legal services in general and wills, family and employment law in particular has grown rapidly since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic as more clients realise the need for estate planning as well as help with employment and family issues.

As part of the agreement, 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.

Co-op Legal Services research with advisers shows 79% believe better estate planning services would help them support their clients better and that 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 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, added: “We are delighted to be working with The Openwork Partnership who provide important financial advice to their client base. 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.”