Latest news
Challinors break up begins
Liverpool-based alternative business structure (ABS) SGI Legal has acquired the personal injury caseload of Midlands firm Challinors, which went into administration last month in advance of an orderly sell-off.
Quindell puts share price jitters behind it with strong performance
Alternative business structure (ABS) Quindell Portfolio plc has posted strong interim half-year results after signing service contracts worth about £100m a year, and attributed the success in part to strong growth in legal services.
Scottish solicitors split over separate representation
Whichever way a decision goes on the future of separate representation for property buyers and lenders in Scotland next month, it is likely to prove unpopular with a large number of solicitors, a survey has revealed.
Licensed conveyancers face scrutiny over complaints and conflicts of interest
The Council for Licensed Conveyancers (CLC) is to investigate its members’ handling of complaints and their performance in managing conflicts of interest when acting for buyer and seller in property transactions.
Wedding planners, dentists, pizza chefs – and solicitors, naturally
A marketing group that is set to link wedding planning, cosmetic dentistry and ultimately a pizza chain, is aiming to create the largest legal brand in the UK with an annual advertising spend of £6m by early next year.
PII industry moves to calm small firm fears
Key figures in the professional indemnity insurance (PII) industry have reassured sole practitioners and small practices that a wide choice of reliable cover is still available to them, after XL Insurance confirmed it would no longer insure 1-3 partner firms.
Danger: diversity monitoring and data protection
It’s the hottest summer since the end of the Ice Age and the cold dark misery of winter seems a long way off. Try, if you can, to cast you mind forward to January 2014. A depressing month at any time, we can rely on the SRA to make January just that little bit less endurable – last January it was the COLP and COFA regime, next year it’s diversity monitoring.
Listed Australian law firm considering UK opportunities
The first corporate law firm in the world to go public is eyeing up opportunities in the UK, Legal Futures understands. Integrated Legal Holdings has until now been an aggregator of boutique corporate, tax and private client firms across Australia.
Industrial disease specialists eye ABS to aid extraordinary growth spurt
A specialist industrial disease law firm in the north-west is looking to convert to an alternative business structure to take advantage of a period of extraordinary growth. Fee income doubled to £7m and staff numbers quadrupled to 170 over the last year.
Solicitor found in contempt following Legal Ombudsman enforcement action
A Birmingham solicitor has become only the fourth lawyer to be found in contempt of court as a result of legal action taken by the Legal Ombudsman. He was also hit with a fine of £5,000 plus costs, after holding on to important files and failing to update his clients.
Blog
Which legal AI will still matter in 12 months?
Four years ago, when senior partners asked me which legal AI they should buy, I would have walked them through a vendor comparison. Now I tell them the question is wrong.
Supreme Court redraws line between member and employee in LLPs
For anyone advising professional services firms on LLP structuring, and of course for those in LLPs themselves, last week’s Supreme Court ruling is an essential read.
Charting a new course for publicly funded legal services
The current Legal Aid Agency model is inherently flawed and it goes beyond mere data breaches – it cannot innovatively respond to increasing challenges.
