It’s not like the Legal Services Board (LSB) to spring a surprise, but its announcement last week that it was not going to recommend that estate administration become a reserved legal activity – while pushing ahead with will-writing – certainly was one. My initial reaction, along with many of those reported on Legal Futures last week, was one of bafflement. Surely of the three elements of the process – will writing, probate and estate administration – it is the latter where the highest risk of fraud occurs and thus where regulation is most needed. Instead the first two will be. I understand that it was a real knife-edge decision by the LSB, and on reflection I think I agree with it.

One of the most interesting trends I have been watching of late is new ways to get punters through the door of legal services providers (does ‘law firms’ cut it anymore?). The past week has seen various stories showing how varied these are becoming: the launch of insurance-backed pre-paid legal services by Simpson Millar and DAS; the opening of ‘LegalForce BookFlip’, a new retail experience in the heart of Silicon Valley that will be coming to London in the next year; and the well-known Law Shop in Bristol being given a new lease of life after its founder retired.

Darren Gower, head of marketing at Legal Futures Associate Eclipse Legal Systems, looks at how the largest law firm in the country, when judged by the number of branches it has, is using retail marketing principles to build a unique business model. It has created a scalable business that can be replicated and expanded rapidly and uniformly. Is this the future?

The legal market is undergoing seismic change. It’s not a threat of something that may happen; it’s happening now. If you wait to see how the market plays out, you will be too late. On a daily basis I engage with businesses, existing law firms and new entrants alike, who are plotting and taking action to radically change how legal services are delivered.

I’d hazard a guess that most of you look in the mirror every morning – whether you’re having a shave or putting on your make-up. The majority of people wouldn’t dream of walking out of the house without checking they present the right image, but do you pay the same level of attention to the first impression your firm gives?