Latest news
Revealed: new “bias” concern ramps up Bar disciplinary controversy
The controversy brewing over faulty appointments to Bar disciplinary panels – and the impact this could have on the decisions they took over recent years – has taken a new turn, Legal Futures can reveal.
News in brief: Quindell targets CMC aggregation, “charitable referral fees”, solicitor ad wins TV award
Our regular round-up of news snippets features another acquisition by ABS-in-waiting Quindell Portfolio, a solicitor’s TV ad winning a Royal Television Society award, a firm donating referral fees to charity, and ABS compensation fund arrangements.
Exclusive: mid-market private equity house targets law firm investment
Mid-market private equity business August Equity has become the latest to outline its intention to invest in the legal market, Legal Futures can reveal. It typically invests between £10m and £30m in equity.
Consumer panel calls for five-fold increase in LeO’s compensation limit to £150,000
The current limit of compensation that the Legal Ombudsman can award complainants should increase five-fold to £150,000, the Legal Services Consumer Panel has recommended. It also called for abolition of the two ‘free’ complaints every firm/lawyer is allowed each year without incurring a case fee.
Law firms need to wake up to importance of apps, urges report
Many law firms have failed to ensure their websites can be read by mobile devices, while others have produced “horrendous” applications (apps) for smartphones in their rush to be seen at the cutting edge of technology, a report has claimed.
Twitter becoming key referral source for solicitors, says research
There has been a massive increase in people using Twitter to ask for recommendations of professional service providers in the last two years, with solicitors one of the most in demand, according to research conducted for Orange Business.
Yourfirm.law on the horizon as Internet body seeks radical expansion of domains
Six businesses – including a law firm – are battling for control of a new .law domain that is set to become available as the body that co-ordinates Internet addresses opens up the market radically. There is also competition for the generic top-level domains (gTLDs) .lawyer and .legal.
SRA: referral fee ban could drive many firms out of business – and may not even stop dodgy claims
The impending ban on referral fees in personal injury could result in a “steep increase” in the number of financial failures amongst small law firms – but may not actually discourage spurious claims – the Solicitors Regulation Authority has warned.
Law firm enters the Dragon’s den with Caan investment
Staffordshire law firm Knights has struck a deal to accept investment from the private equity company owned by former Dragon’s Den star James Caan in a bid to attract work away from the City.
SRA warned over ABS risk if it changes rules on referring clients to financial advisers
Insurance companies could buy law firms and use them as conduits to sell their products to consumers if the Solicitors Regulation Authority changes the rules on referring clients to financial advisers, it has been warned.
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.
