National IFA partnership Beaufort Financial has joined up with Wills and Legal Services to form a new appointed representative firm.

WLS Financial Services is a joint venture with Wills and Legal Services Ltd, a national paralegal firm based in Malvern.

Founded in 2011, Wills and Legal specialises in will writing, setting up powers of attorney and trusts.

Jason Lloyd, formerly of Stirling House and Blackfinch Investments, has been appointed to head up the financial advice business.

WLS Financial Services plans to recruit a team of national financial advisers to work alongside the 25 existing paralegals that advise some 120,000 private clients in England and Wales.

Jason Lloyd, director of WLS Financial Services, said: “We have an established paralegal business with ambitious plans.

“Rather than outsource Financial Planning to third parties, which is what most firms in our sector do, we established our own professional and independent Financial Planning arm.

“This is in the best interest of our clients and enables us to offer a full range of services to them.”

“In Beaufort Financial we have found the ideal, modern and forward thinking partner.

“Maintaining whole of market independent status is a necessity and will be fundamental to the success of the business. ”

Beaufort Group's executive chairman, Simon Goldthorpe, added: “Partnering with an ambitious paralegal firm makes a great deal of sense to our group, whilst our partnership structure clearly does appeal to Jason, his colleagues and most importantly the clients.

“We look forward to working with Jason to grow the business.”