associate news

The Solicitors Regulation Authority has recently found that compliance with its transparency rules remains unacceptably low and has been using its enforcement powers to punish non-compliant firms; in January 2021 alone nine firms were either rebuked or fined for not complying with their obligations.

Advantage Consulting and Clio have formed a strategic partnership in the UK. As part of the deal, Advantage Consulting will offer Clio’s legal software solutions as a premium case management solution to its clients, including the Advantage 365 platform and the Advantage Legal Network member firms

Legal companies are among the best performing businesses for customer care and low call waiting times, according to new research. The survey of 1000 people by leading outsourced comms company Moneypenny revealed that just 6% of survey respondents feel legal firms have poor call handling times – compared with utility companies (33%) doctors (27%), banks (25%) and phone companies (21%).  The best performing businesses of all were estate and letting agents at 5%.

Select Legal Systems Limited have announced today their six-figure LAWFUSION Datacentre expansion. The UK based software house, authors of leading legal practice management software system for law firms, have continued to grow consistently since their last datacentre upgrade in the Summer of 2016.

There is an ever-increasing need for insurance products in conveyancing and this need should be considered as managing risk and not just as selling products. Search and indemnity insurance is bought by conveyancers on behalf of their clients and with the new Insurance Distribution Directive (EU legislation that sets regulatory requirements for firms designing and selling insurance products) it is important that conveyancers are confident that the policy they are purchasing is the best available.

OneSearch Direct, the largest local search data company in the UK, has warned that the disparity in search delays is creating a postcode lottery where an increasing number of homebuyers are being unfairly penalised. OneSearch believe some local authorities are failing to prioritise the homebuying process at a time when the housing market is one of the most prominent pillars bolstering the economy.

New year, new data breaches! 2021 has barely begun and there is already a growing list of significant data breaches that have come to light, with implications for huge numbers of members of the public whose sensitive personal data may have been exposed.

It is not uncommon for clients that have written Wills with a firm to move house and relocate to other parts of the country. Due to these circumstances and the passage of time, clients may forget where their Will is stored or lose the copy of their Will, making it increasingly difficult for their loved ones to locate it when they pass away.

COVID-19 has elevated the importance of scalable legal technology to flex alongside our businesses and maintain productivity throughout manpower fluctuations. Deborah Witkiss explains why…

Thursfields Solicitors’ Director and Head of Wills & Estates, Ian Bond, has joined the Legal Advisory Board of estate planning software specialist, Arken.legal.