Latest news
Law firms “well placed” to set socio-economic targets
Law firms are “well placed” to set socio-economic diversity targets because of data they are required to collect by the SRA, a taskforce led by the City of London Corporation has said.
Panel spells out challenge of contextualising law firm transparency data
There is “no prototype” for how to contextualise transparency data about law firms for consumers, and it will not be perfect from the start, the Legal Services Consumer Panel has warned.
Barristers set to pay the price for BSB performance problems
The poor performance of the Bar Standards Board is set to hit barristers in the pocket as it seeks to increase salaries to overcome recruitment and retention difficulties.
Major firms sign up to part-time working initiative for trainees
Five law firms have now agreed to offer all those who successfully apply for trainee solicitor and other training posts the opportunity to work part-time.
Law Society attacks Legal Ombudsman over 8% staff pay rise
The Law Society has attacked plans by the Legal Ombudsman to increase pay for its staff by 8%, as part of a 9.6% increase in its budget for the next financial year.
Barrister who falsified CV to get pupillage and tenancy disbarred years later
A barrister whose applications for pupillage at one chambers and then tenancy at another were based on a false CV has been disbarred – more than a decade after he first used it.
SRA steps in to shut down four Metamorph Group businesses
The SRA today closed down four of the businesses in the Metamorph Group network, comprising 10 law firms, as they were in the process of transferring their practices to another group firm.
Money owed to Pure Legal’s unsecured creditors climbs to £38m
The administrators of Pure Legal have now received claims from unsecured creditors worth nearly £38m – rather than the £23m originally estimated – and almost none of it will be repaid.
Fee-share corporate firm becomes community interest company
A fee-share practice has become what is thought to be the first corporate law firm to become a not-for-profit community interest company, ensuring it donates all profits to charity.
Defence barrister who misled court to get paid is suspended
An experienced defence barrister who joked that he would not get paid if his case was discontinued, secretly drafted and uploaded an indictment to stop that happening.
Blog
Regulate sole practices on evidence, not turnover
For a sole practice, the SRA’s plan that I cannot hold a compliance role if my firm has more than £600,000 of turnover is not a measure of risk. It is a ceiling on growth.
Is Google becoming pay-to-play for law firms?
For years, law firms have been told that SEO is the long-term alternative to paying for every click. That principle hasn’t disappeared but search results have changed significantly.
Material information and the case for intelligent client onboarding
Upfront information means work traditionally undertaken after an offer is accepted will need to happen earlier. And that fundamentally changes the role of client onboarding.
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