Barbara Hamilton-Bruce looks at the significant problems caused to clients when law firms suddenly shut their doors “voluntarily” and what can be done by solicitors and the SRA to make it a far smoother experience for the public

Tomorrow the Law Society council will make its much-trailed decision on whether the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) should become a regulator of alternative business structures. President Linda Lee has talked about the importance of the decision, as has SRA chairman Charles Plant. I would like nothing more than to be there to report on the debate. Sadly I cannot, as the debate and vote are being held in private.

Viv Williams, chief executive of Legal Futures Associate the 360 Legal Group, looks at the challenges facing law firms in 2011 and says that, with a price war looming, it is time for smaller practices to look at the benefits of consolidation.

News of a potential split at the Law Society of Scotland, with 165 members from Glasgow writing to newspapers to call for an end to its representative role, may well cause some shudders at its counterpart south of the border.

It’s always a dilemma as to when to go into print with rumour that nobody will confirm on the record but this is too important not to, especially as I’ve been asking around on it and so am not just relying on one source. But I should stress that it remains a rumour.