Latest news
Law firms “doing more training” since end of hours-based CPD
Four in ten law firms are doing more professional training following the end of the hours-based approach, research by the Solicitors Regulation Authority has found.
BLM launches robot claims handler – but “it won’t replace humans”
A robot claims handler which can take “subjective decisions” about the reliability of witnesses will not replace its human colleagues, the law firm behind it has said.
VC fund targets lawtech with focus on big data
Venture capitalists have launched a fund aimed at lawtech start-ups, with an emphasis on businesses that hope to exploit big data for corporate decision making.
LeO struggles with case closures amid high staff turnover
The Legal Ombudsman is falling further behind in meeting case closure targets amid high staff turnover, it has emerged. It closed 6,206 cases in 2018-19, compared to a target of 8,000.
Property damage “will be covered” by whiplash regime
The whiplash portal for litigants in person will cover claims for property damage, in addition to personal injury and uninsured losses, the Motor Insurers Bureau has confirmed.
Reprimand for legal executive who asked SRA to keep quiet
A chartered legal executive has been reprimanded for asking the SRA not to tell his own regulator that it had investigated him. Unfortunately for him, they have an information-sharing agreement.
Advice app backed by Slater & Gordon rolls out nationally
An app that offers users the full range of consumer legal advice and support for up to £24 a month is being rolled out after a pilot saw 70% of users renew their subscription.
Complete online process for money claims “ready next year”
Technology allowing litigants to run a civil money claim online from beginning to end should be in place by this time next year, with nearly 70,000 having already used the more limited version available now.
CMC boss faces £1.4m confiscation order over illegal PI data
A man found guilty of illegally obtaining people’s personal data and selling it to personal injury solicitors has been fined for breaches of data protection and issued with a £1.4m confiscation order.
ABSs having “direct and positive impact” on legal market – LSB
Alternative business structures continue to have a “direct and positive impact” on the legal market, the oversight regulator has said, while there are “signs of improvement” at the Legal Ombudsman.
Blog
From ‘year zero’ to £6.5m – how a law firm found its second life
In 2018, I hit what I call ‘year zero’. On paper, Olliers Solicitors was a top-tier criminal defence firm but beneath the surface, I could see we were at a crossroads.
Linklaters’ chief growth officer takes the ‘blank sheet’ challenge
In the third and final part of this series, Lucy Murphy, chief growth officer at magic circle firm Linklaters, outlines her vision for the law firm of the future.
The ‘blank sheet’ challenge, part 2 – what would you do differently?
In the second part of this blog series, Shainul Kassam, managing director of small London firm Fortune Law, sets out how she would set up a law firm now.
