Today’s Law Society Gazette carries an article optimistically entitled “Small firms will be ‘resilient’ in the face of ABSs”. This sums up a report by consultants Oxera, commissioned by the Law Society, and first revealed by Legal Futures last week. It came to the conclusion that ABSs are not only unlikely to undermine geographic access to justice for consumers, but would also not have a detrimental effect upon the businesses of small practitioners.

I thought I would post an update on what I have heard about the Coalition’s thinking about the legal services reforms – there’s nothing concrete, because ministers are still not talking about this subject publicly. This comes just from being round and about and talking to those who are (or at least claim to be) in the know, so I can’t vouch for its total accuracy.

So farewell (almost), Zahida Manzoor. Her final annual report after more than seven years as Legal Services Ombudsman is understandably reflective ahead of the post’s abolition on 6 October when the Office for Legal Complaints (OLC)/Legal Ombudsman (no, we’re not sure which to call it either) opens for business. Ms Manzoor deserves a chance to bask in the glow of her achievements.

Legal Futures’ revelation that the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) has agreed that professional indemnity insurers will no longer have to pay the defence costs of solicitors facing disciplinary proceedings is a major blow to those likely to face sanctions in the future. It provides proof, if proof were needed, of how out of touch with the profession the SRA can be.

The argument over the make-up of the board of the Solicitors Regulation Authority (and the Bar Standards Board) might seem somewhat esoteric to many practitioners, but it goes to the heart of the Legal Services Act reforms.