Latest news
Regulatory reform “will help legal sector” enter next growth phase
The legal sector of the future “may look very different to the one we know today”, with further regulatory reform needed, a report for the Ministry of Justice has said.
Subpostmasters “pressured by their lawyers” into pleading guilty
Many subpostmaster victims of the Post Office scandal felt “bullied by the inevitability of pleading guilty as their lawyers advised”, a report has found.
Law firm faces claim over £1.5m paid out of escrow amid AI concern
A bid for summary judgment over a law firm paying out £1.5m it was holding in escrow has failed because the underlying agreement was “a classic example of muddled drafting”.
High Court grants rights to audience to struck-off solicitor
The High Court has given a struck-off solicitor rights of audience to represent companies of which he was only made a director for that purpose.
Judge blames law firm not solicitor for fake AI cases
A judge has decided against referring a solicitor to the Solicitors Regulation Authority for citing two fake cases generated by artificial intelligence.
Listed professional services firm targets big lawyer expansion
Growing its new legal arm is a big priority for AIM-listed professional services business DSW Capital, with doubling the number of fee-earners the immediate goal..
Minister tells legal executives: We’ll help get you past Mazur
The minister for legal services has pledged to chartered legal executives that “we’ll do all that we can” to help them move past the Mazur ruling.
Peers say lawyers need stronger ethical training
The House of Lords constitution committee has called for the ethical training of lawyers to be “reviewed and strengthened” and given throughout their careers.
Aviva-backed law firm bids to automate much of probate process
A “hybrid” probate law firm set up by a former banker and backed by Aviva is aiming to use lessons from fintech in its bid to automate and streamline the process.
Conveyancer cleared after exchanging contracts on day of instruction
A solicitor has been cleared of misconduct when acting on the exchange of contracts for an elderly client’s property on the same day he was instructed.
Blog
The importance of benchmarking reports – and lessons on profitability
Regional firms reported the largest revenue growth this year (12%), outpacing their City counterparts. Yet many are not converting that growth into profitability.
Fixed recoverable costs: Sacrificing justice for predictability?
The extended fixed recoverable costs regime is failing to achieve its stated objectives. Instead of promoting fairness and efficiency, the rules are creating anomalies that undermine justice.
Expectations keep rising, so prioritise client experience
Law firms are facing growing pressure to place greater focus on client experience or risk falling behind in an increasingly competitive legal market.
