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Russell Jones & Walker aims to use its new access to capital to become one of the two or three players that will “dominate” the consumer legal market in the years to come, its chief executive has said.

The Institute of Legal Executives was formally presented with its Royal Charter yesterday, transforming Fellows of the Institute into Chartered Legal Executives. The charter protects the title of ILEX members for the first time.

The world’s first listed legal practice, Australia’s Slater & Gordon, is to enter the UK market after agreeing to buy national law firm Russell Jones & Walker for £53.8 million. All of RJW’s principals will continue to work in the new business and are becoming shareholders in S&G.

Solicitors who have a long-standing relationship with a client and receive many instructions are not under an implied general retainer to keep under review all previous advice and drafting, the High Court has ruled.

Our regular news round-up reports on a jailed solicitor’s appeal against his seven-year sentence, an SRA update on PC renewal, Integreon’s new LPO facility, the new Law Society advocacy section, pressure on HSBC over conveyancing and Herbert Smith expanding in Belfast.

The conveyancing market is consolidating fast, with the big getting bigger and the small getting out, figures from the Land Registry have indicated. Some 1,300 fewer legal practices made applications to the registry for transfers in 2011 than in the previous 12 months.

The government has been urged to oppose European proposals that could allow lawyers to make complaints about their clients. The Legal Services Consumer Panel has otherwise welcomed the EU proposals which could provide redress against unregulated providers.

Leading welfare-to-work business A4e is planning to offer both consumers and businesses a broad range of legal services at a “more affordable” cost than currently seen in the market, it has confirmed.

Quindell Portfolio plc – the company which on Tuesday announced its intention to buy Liverpool law firm Silverbeck Rymer – has continued its acquisition spree by taking a 29.9% stake in a major accident management business which will feed work to the firm.

Around 15 claims of race discrimination against the Solicitors Regulation Authority will be launched shortly, arguing that it treats black and minority ethnic solicitors less favourably than white counterparts, the Society of Black Lawyers has claimed.