Blog
Anything else to say about SDLT?
SDLT is not stamp duty. This is something I have to say to firms too often. Whilst it has some of the same words in its name, it is not the former tax on property deeds that existed pre-December 2003.
Happy birthday, Shakespeare: Lessons from William’s will
Historians know precious little about the life of the author who gave the world 37 theatrical masterpieces. One of the few documents that we do have relating to his personal matters is his will.
Why the Boston Consulting Group is wrong about the Legal Services Act
It will be a great pity if any policymakers are influenced by this report because it suffers from some serious flaws and misinterpretations of what is going on in England and Wales.
‘Knowledge activation’ is key for the future hybrid workforce
In the absence of full-scale office-based working, law firms and corporate legal departments will need to find new ways of ensuring collaboration and knowledge sharing among their legal professionals.
Law firms’ cost focus will drive financial innovation in the sector
What the pandemic has brought into sharp focus for firms is a desire to reduce costs. In 2019, research found cost reductions were last on a long list of priorities for firms; now they are near the top.
How burnout was my catalyst for serving lawyers instead of being one
As my legal career progressed, I began to realise the reality was very different than I had envisaged. I was in a constant state of stress, working very long hours. I normalised the stress, as it seemed to be everywhere I looked.
Virtual supervision – the modern dilemma
Virtual supervision is important, but it is very important that that supervision doesn’t become virtual, and not fit for purpose. So how do we guard against that?
Fostering new behaviour
There are always problem files, difficult clients and issues that consume us with fear and worry. However, the more we procrastinate, the more ghoulish and horrifying the task grows.
Covid a year on: My overwhelming emotions were fear… and sadness
It is 48 hours I’ll never forget. I’d spent the weekend completing a major new deal for my firm when I turned on the TV news on 23 March 2020.
Talking about race – how to overcome the fear factor
Employment lawyers understand discrimination laws better than anyone. Yet this doesn’t mean lawyers have the comfort and confidence to discuss and address race-related issues in the workplace.
Blog
The new metrics for success in conveyancing
While technology has made much of the conveyancing process faster, there remains a practical limit to how many matters anyone can manage while still keeping standards intact.
The UK legal market is polarising – and the middle is disappearing
Consolidation and the boutique boom are not contradictory. They are the same market stretching apart at both ends – and it changes what your firm is worth, and to whom.
Conveyancing’s consistency problem is about pressure, not skills
When I qualified, a conveyancer had perhaps 10 or 12 plates to keep spinning. Today’s conveyancers have 20 or 30, and almost none of the room for error I had starting out.
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