Latest news
WhatsApp messages form part of firm’s file – if they charge for them
A law firm’s file includes WhatApp messages and other forms of digital communication where it then seeks to charge for them, a costs judge has ruled.
Solicitor rebuked for telling trainee to backdate deed
A solicitor who instructed a trainee to backdate a deed has been rebuked by the Solicitors Regulation Authority after she admitted to an error of judgement.
Spike in scam trade mark emails using names of real solicitors
There has been a rise in “highly convincing” scam emails targeting businesses and trade mark owners that use the names of genuine solicitors, a leading law firm has warned.
Employer confidence in SQE on the rise but slumps among students
Confidence in the SQE among employers has risen over the past three years but is still not particularly strong – and declined significantly among candidates.
Solicitors vote to increase threshold for Law Society SGMs
Solicitors have narrowly voted to increase the threshold for calling a special general meeting of the Law Society – despite the society’s ruling council no longer backing it.
Stonewall did not induce chambers to discriminate against barrister
The Court of Appeal has rejected a barrister’s claim that LGBT charity Stonewall “caused or induced” discrimination against her by her chambers.
Supreme Court overturns decision that class action should be opt-out
The Supreme Court has reinstated a decision that £2.7bn collective proceedings should be on an opt-in, rather than opt-out, basis.
Complex court processes “shut out litigants in person”
Complex court administrative processes “increasingly function as gatekeepers to justice” and shut out litigants in person, research has found.
Opt-out class action first for businesses as car delivery case settles
Businesses are to benefit from an opt-out class action for the first time after the last two defendants in the car delivery charges case settled for £54m.
AI tool aims to capture “invisible thinking” of lawyers
A legal tech startup led by a solicitor turned behavioural psychologist is aiming to capture the “invisible knowledge” of senior lawyers for the benefit of both junior lawyers and clients.
Blog
Fixed recoverable costs: Sacrificing justice for predictability?
The extended fixed recoverable costs regime is failing to achieve its stated objectives. Instead of promoting fairness and efficiency, the rules are creating anomalies that undermine justice.
Expectations keep rising, so prioritise client experience
Law firms are facing growing pressure to place greater focus on client experience or risk falling behind in an increasingly competitive legal market.
Want sustainable growth? Look to operational excellence
Many firms are being forced to reassess where growth will come from. Increasingly, the answer lies in operational excellence: creating capacity from existing teams.
