Latest news
New CILEx president: give us independent practice rights
The absence of independent practice rights for chartered legal executives has created a series of “absurdities” and there is no sensible reason to deny those rights, the incoming president of the Chartered Institute of Legal Executives has claimed.
No means test and no minimum payment for QOCS, government decides
There is to be no means test to benefit from qualified one-way costs-shifting, the government has announced. Justice minister Jonathan Djanogly provided an update on implementation of the Jackson reforms.
Jordans eyes up ABS to expand beyond company services
Well-known business services provider Jordans Ltd is to set up an alternative business structure aimed at handling outsourced legal work for both companies and law firms, it has emerged.
University bids to create ‘ABS-ready’ law students and develop innovation in legal services
A groundbreaking project that aims to encourage students to think about innovation in the post-alternative business structure world – and help them develop new ideas for delivering legal services – has been launched by Sheffield Hallam University.
Firms in top 25 “eyeing up M&A activity with non-lawyers”, says survey
A surprising number of top law firms are eyeing up merger with or acquisition of a firm from another profession, accountants BDO have found. Ten firms in the top 25 said it could happen in the next three years.
Judges “warming up” to QASA as row over solicitor-advocates rumbles on
There are more positive messages from the judiciary that they will take part in the new Quality Assurance Scheme for Advocates, and they are relaxed about the prospect of assessments being used for appeals against conviction, it was claimed last week.
Fancy joining the SRA board? Recruitment starts to introduce lay majority for first time
The introduction of a lay majority on the board of the Solicitors Regulation Authority moved a step closer yesterday after an advertisement for four new lay members and two solicitor members was published.
Good news day for solicitors: both strike-offs and negligence claims fall
The number of solicitors struck off in the year to March dropped by 43%, while the number of negligence claims against solicitors reaching the High Court has also fallen, a flurry of new figures have shown.
SRA board warned over financial advice confusion
Controversial proposals by the Solicitors Regulation Authority to end the requirement on practitioners to refer clients to independent financial advisers risk being misunderstood, a member of the SRA board warned last week.
SRA: nearly half of firms began COLPs and COFAs process in first month
Nearly half of all law firms have so far “engaged with the process” of appointing their COLPs and COFAs, the Solicitors Regulation Authority has revealed. Separately it laid out its imminent plans to survey every law firm about staff diversity.
Blog
When AI becomes a line on the client’s bill
On 23 June, Legora changed how it charges. The platform announced that its most capable product was moving away from a flat per-seat licence fee to consumption-based pricing
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.
