Latest news
Debt management giant starts ABS as accountants close legal practice after just five months
One of the UK’s largest debt management companies, Harrington Brooks, which has an annual turnover of around £30m, has created an alternative business structure run by its head of legal services.
Online legal service targets web commerce market with ‘law in minutes’
A long-standing seller of legal documents is set to launch a venture selling simple packages of documents aimed at website developers and people running online businesses.
Slater & Gordon completes Pannone acquisition and hints at yet more to come
Slater & Gordon has become “one of the UK’s largest general law firms” after completing the acquisition of Manchester-based Pannone on Friday – and indicated that it has not finished buying up practices.
Hires round-up: Competition Commission director joins LSB as Jordans makes first post-ABS hire
The focus of the Legal Services Board on competition in the legal market looks set to intensify after it appointed the inquiry director at the Competition Commission as its new strategy chief. It is one of several key appointments announced recently.
High Court untangles claim and counterclaim over law firm sale
The High Court has had to unpick the fall-out of the sale of a law firm, with the seller claiming unpaid purchase money and the buyer arguing that the failure to disclose potential legal action against the firm led to sharp increases in the cost of its indemnity insurance.
Law firm accepts digital currency as payment (but continues to invoice in sterling)
A London media law firm has become what is believed to be the UK’s first legal practice to accept the virtual currency bitcoin in payment for its services.
Crowd-funding investors queue up to back online legal advice service
An online legal service aimed at small businesses and “democratising the law” has almost completed its second round of ‘crowdfunding’, raising more than £100,000 in less than a month as it targets ambitious expansion.
ABS-owning insurers sign up to code on handling legal work for policyholders
Many of the big insurance companies that have set up alternative business structure (ABS) joint ventures have signed up to a new code of practice laying out how they can point policyholders who may have a personal injury claim towards their law firms.
From bad debts to bad mergers – SRA study pinpoints key features of firms in financial difficulty
A failure to pay debts – and the increasing willingness of creditors to pursue solicitors for their money – is the most common feature of law firms in financial difficulty, Solicitors Regulation Authority research has found.
Are judges and opposing parties targeting lawyers? Recent cases suggest they are
A string of recent cases indicate that judges may be increasingly tempted to remind solicitors of their duty to act impartially in litigation, in an era of alternative business structures (ABSs) where their loyalties might be tested, according to a leading criminal lawyer.
Blog
Preparing people for the pace of technological change
While technology often dominates the conversation, I believe the most important challenge facing law firms is not adopting new tools – it is preparing people to adapt alongside them.
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,
