Latest news
Red Bar eyes steady stream of barristers seconded to corporates
Our series catching up with the new breed of alternative business structures profiles Red Bar, the first start up ABS and a law firm offering early access to barristers, and how a no-nonsense approach to payment is aiding big expansion plans.
“Give clients what they want – not what you think they need”, digital pioneers tell law firms
Three leading digital pioneers yesterday told law firms to “give clients what they want” rather than what they think clients want, whether that is a daily blog or free legal documents.
Bates Wells Braithwaite claims ABS will allow first ‘unified service’ in City
Bates Wells Braithwaite, the charity law specialist, has claimed that its new ABS status will enable it to provide the first ‘unified service’ in the City. The firm’s non-legal services have been set up by accountant Jim Clifford, who is now an equity partner.
Law Society defends PI solicitors offering claims inducements
There is no evidence to justify the government’s plan to ban personal injury solicitors from offering up-front inducements to potential claimants, the Law Society has argued.
Temporary consumer credit regime extended to 2015
The Solicitors Regulation Authority and Financial Conduct Authority have agreed that transitional arrangements for firms wanting to carry out consumer credit activities will be extended by a further six months, from 30 September 2014 to 1 April 2015.
British Printing Industries Federation awarded ABS license
The British Printing Industries Federation, a trade association representing the UK’s print and packaging industry, has been awarded an ABS license, while a Hull-based employment, taxation, health and safety and environmental law service has also won ABS status.
Direct access chambers recruits first QC
A pioneering direct access chambers in Cheltenham has attracted its first QC, who has urged fellow criminal silks to follow his lead in preparing for a growth in privately paying clients.
BSB bids to improve barristers’ reporting of certain diversity data – from abysmal to awful
The Bar Standards Board has set itself a minimum target of 30% for diversity data collection from barristers on sexuality, religion and disability. It is also planning more work on the under-representation of women at the bar, and reports of harassment and discrimination.
ABSs capture a third of personal injury market, SRA research reveals
ABSs account for a third of all turnover in the personal injury market, the first accurate overview of the progress of alternative business structures has revealed.
SRA takes too long to approve applications, ABSs say
Firms applying for alternative business structure (ABS) status believe the Solicitors Regulation Authority takes too long to approve applications and its staff are too “bureaucratic”, according to the regulator’s own research.
Blog
Motor finance – the FCA is more worried about banks than consumers
The Financial Conduct Authority’s motor finance redress scheme announced last week amounts to one of the largest ever consumer failures by the regulator.
Mazur: a symptom not a cause?
If Mazur is a symptom, what does it mean for the underlying health of our civil justice system: the ‘finest legal system in the world’?
Cross-generation collaboration: the key to in-house legal tech adoption
In-house legal function leaders will increasingly have to evolve their thinking on how to manage multigenerational teams containing differing levels of technological expertise.
