Starling Bank Adds First Legal Services Partner to Business Marketplace
by Samantha Hurst
UK-based digital banking platform Starling Bank announced on Monday it has added its first legal services partner, Sparqa Legal, to its business marketplace. According to Starling, the partnership will bring affordable legal services to the marketplace’s 88,000 small business customers.
“Starling Business Account holders can sign up to Sparqa Legal on their mobile app, via the Starling Marketplace, giving them access to 350 professionally-designed templates. This allows them to safely create and customise their own bespoke legal contracts, policies and documents. Customers also have access to a wealth of legal guidance on the day-to-day issues businesses face, to help them better understand the law and their obligations.”
While sharing more details about the service, Andrew Thornton, CEO of Sparqa Legal and a Barrister at Erskine Chambers stated:
“At Sparqa Legal, we passionately believe that, armed with the right tools and resources, smart business managers can produce many of the simple legal documents they require. They can also find out about their rights, obligations and the best course to take.”
Starling CEO and Founder, Anne Boden, added:
“It’s important that businesses safely navigate themselves through the legal obligations relevant to them and their specific industries. But increasingly businesses are looking to technology to help them solve old problems in new, innovative and cost-effective ways, which is why Sparqa Legal is a very welcome addition to the Starling Marketplace.”
The legal support launch comes less than two months after Starling Bank announced it is offering a debit card that allows customers to spend directly in Pounds or Euros (ie no standard forex fee). The Starling Business Euro Account is described as being ideal for small businesses that want to manage payments or receive money in euros.