Latest news
LSB gives green light to work on radical shake-up of financial protection arrangements
The possibility of clients buying ‘top-up’ cover to fill the gaps in compulsory professional indemnity insurance has been floated by the Legal Services Board as it set the scene for a significant shake-up of current financial protection arrangements.
ABSs enter classroom with university’s ‘virtual law firm’ project
A University of Exeter project is teaching first year law undergraduates about alternative business structures, in what the academic tutor says is meeting outcomes recommended by the Legal Education and Training Review.
Slater & Gordon announces latest UK acquisition – but it’s not who you think
Slater & Gordon has announced the acquisition of a well-known northern legal practice – but not the one everyone was expecting. There was no mention of the talks to buy the consumer practice of Pannone at its AGM today.
Debt recovery ABS plans to double £10m turnover in three years
Ascent, the specialist debt alternative business structure that is part of the Irwin Mitchell Group, has outlined plans to more than double its turnover in the next three years. The Manchester-based firm has appointed two new chief operating officers to help drive the growth.
Law Society intervenes in QASA judicial review
The Law Society has been granted permission to intervene in the judicial review of the legality of the Quality Assurance Scheme for Advocates (QASA). The society said it is intervening in the case “in the best interests of all advocates”.
Solicitors’ market “wide open to competition” from national brands, says LSB
Most aspects of legal services can be delivered nationally and there is still significant potential for big brands to come in and provide large scale, lower cost services, according to a major report into competition in the solicitors’ market.
Relief for claimant PI lawyers as government decides against raising small claims limit
The small claims limit for personal injury cases will not be going up to £5,000, the Ministry of Justice announced today. Instead it has unveiled a raft of other measures aimed at cutting the cost of motoring, including the creation of independent medical panels.
Exclusive: SRA snaps up LSB strategy chief
Crispin Passmore, the director of strategy at the Legal Services Board, is jumping ship for a newly created director-level policy role at the Solicitors Regulation Authority, Legal Futures understands.
Number of law firms without insurance continues to climb
The number of law firms that failed to find professional indemnity insurance by 1 October has continued to climb, Legal Futures can report. It has also emerged that law firms are responding slowly to the next deadline facing them – practising certificate renewal by 31 October.
Life-coaching ABS cooperative targets growth
A Leicester cooperative law firm that offers life coaching in addition to legal services, has obtained an alternative business structure (ABS) licence in order to develop its training arm. Kinetic Law Services Limited is the 199th ABS approved by the SRA.
Blog
Small steps, big impact: how SME law firms are making legal tech work
For SME law firms, the priority is turning the potential of tech into measurable impact: success is driven not just by the technology, but by how firms approach planning and implementation.
Why housing disrepair claims against councils have leapt by nearly 400%
Housing disrepair claims against councils have surged dramatically in recent years, with some areas reporting increases approaching a staggering 400%.
Client accounts: Opportunity, obligation and the risks in between
The profitability gap between well-run firms and the rest is not primarily a function of size, location or practice area – it is a function of financial management.
