Latest news
Sole practitioners warn of “dire consequences” if indemnity limit is cut
Sole practitioners have warned of “dire consequences” if the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) goes ahead with its plans to cut the minimum limit for indemnity cover from £2m to £500,000.
New Optima Legal chief outlines “market leader” plans
David Ashcroft, the new managing director of Optima Legal, has outlined his ambitions for the ABS to become a market leader in commercial property and debt collection services.
Boost for QualitySolicitors as owner takes control of conveyancing and probate group
Eddie Ross, chief executive of QualitySolicitors (QS) has said an investment decision by its private equity owners, Palamon Capital Partners, will enable it to “consolidate its position” as a national leader in conveyancing.
Most ABSs would “do things differently” if they applied again
A large majority of alternative business structures, 89%, would tackle their application differently if they applied to the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) for a licence again, research has revealed.
VouchedFor aims for 1,000 solicitors
Financial adviser rating and review website VouchedFor has said it is aiming to sign up 1,000 solicitors in the next few weeks.
Consumer panel hits back over SRA ‘double standards’ claim
The Legal Services Consumer Panel has hit back at criticism by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) that it opposes a minimum indemnity insurance limit of £500,000 for solicitors, while supporting it for accountants.
Law Society Sharia wills guidance “cannot change the law”, justice minister says
The government has refused to be drawn into the row over controversial advice from the Law Society on Sharia-compliant wills, but insisted that it “does not, and cannot, change the law”.
LSB paves way for CLC to expand beyond conveyancing
The statutory framework of the Council for Licensed Conveyancers (CLC) could be changed in a way that would potentially enable it to regulate all reserved legal activities, under plans outlined by the Legal Services Board (LSB).
Government introduces legislation to ban PI inducements
The government has gone ahead with its promise to ban personal injury lawyers from offering inducements, such as cash or iPads, to potential claimants by inserting a new clause into the Criminal Justice and Courts Bill.
ICAEW wins power to licence probate ABSs
The Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales has been given the green light by Parliament to regulate alternative business structures which provide probate services, with dozens of firms already showing an interest in taking advantage.
Blog
Reorientation in the AI era must begin with the client
Much of the discussion about AI in the legal industry focuses on technology: which tools to adopt and which tasks might get automated. But this misses the deeper story.
Awaab’s Law phase 2: New hazards council tenants can now claim for
The conversation on housing disrepair is moving beyond damp and mould alone. With the rollout of phase 2 of Awaab’s Law, the scope of issues covered is expanding significantly,
Beyond PCP: Can regulators and lawyers work better together next time?
Nearly a decade after the Financial Conduct Authority began investigating the car finance industry, the story of the PCP commission scandal is still unfinished.
