Latest news
Mayson attacks market in “spurious claims” and urges focus on value
Lawyers have lost sight of their true purpose and legal practice should focus less on “spurious” claims and more on providing clients with valuable outcomes, Professor Stephen Mayson has urged. Reconnecting the purpose of law and lawyers is “essential to enabling a meaningful and worthwhile future for law”, he warned.
Criminal firms will collapse, not consolidate, if legal aid cuts are too fast, government warned
If criminal legal aid solicitors were given more time to put their house in order before the government slashed fees, there would be a greater chance of consolidation in the market to mitigate the cuts, the Ministry of Justice has been told.
SRA to strip away restrictions on qualifying as a solicitor
Would-be solicitors may be able to design their own routes to qualification – which need not involve a degree, legal practice course or training contract – under a blueprint for radical reform of education and training published today by the Solicitors Regulation Authority.
Personal injury firms escape indemnity renewal relatively unscathed, survey finds
The vast majority of personal injury law firms appear to have renewed their indemnity insurance on acceptable terms despite the instability in the sector, according to a survey of nearly 500 law firms conducted last week.
Circuits club together to back QASA judicial review
The circuits have come together with the Criminal Bar Association to indemnity the four barristers bringing a judicial review against the Legal Services Board over the legality of the Quality Assurance Scheme for Advocates.
Grayling: legal market needs to be more diverse and innovative
The new chairman of the Legal Services Board (LSB) needs to help develop “a more diverse and innovative legal services market that attracts new providers”, justice secretary Chris Grayling has said. The search for a new chairman of the LSB began last week.
Firm broken up after failing to secure indemnity insurance
Harris Cartier – a 26-lawyer niche litigation and corporate practice with offices in London and Slough – has become the first firm to be placed into administration following the failure to arrange professional indemnity insurance for 1 October.
Comparison site aims exclusively at SME market
A comparison website claiming to be the first UK service dedicated to matching businesses to lawyers has been launched, and includes customer ratings at the end of every engagement.
Addleshaws lays out future vision: fewer lawyers, fewer firms, new business models
The legal market of 2020 will have 25% fewer lawyers and 20% fewer firms, with new business models and disruptive legal technologies sitting at the core of the provision of legal services, leading firm Addleshaw Goddard has predicted.
Reshuffle leads to shake-up in ministerial briefs at MoJ
There has been a shake-up of ministerial responsibilities at the Ministry of Justice following this week’s reshuffle, it was confirmed yesterday. Shailesh Vara has been given responsibility for civil justice and legal services, and has also been handed legal aid.
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.
