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NewLaw owner unveils strong results as it strengthens law firm’s non-RTA business

8 September 2017

Redde, the AIM-listed accident management company that owns two law firms has recorded strong annual results, with turnover up 25% and profits increasing 16%. It also laid out how it is growing the services offered by its main firm, pioneering alternative business structure NewLaw Solicitors, into areas other than road traffic-related claims.


CMA urges legal regulators to move faster on price transparency

8 September 2017

The Competition and Markets Authority is concerned at the pace with which regulators are planning to introduce greater price transparency in the legal market, it has emerged. It has also been suggested that greater use of fixed fees could stimulate unmet legal need.


Lord Chief Justice highlights concern over focus on consumer interest in legal regulation

7 September 2017

The outgoing Lord Chief Justice today outlined the judiciary’s “nascent concern” that the public interest too often gives way to the consumer interest in legal services regulation. The comments by Lord Thomas echo those of the incoming president of the Supreme Court, Baroness Hale earlier this year.


Solicitor who overcharged by 574% struck off

7 September 2017

A solicitor has been struck off after being found by the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal to have dishonestly charged an estate “manifestly excessive” fees for probate work – almost nine times the agreed amount. The solicitor had told the executor he would charge 3% of the estate but ended up charging 26%.


SRA issues holiday sickness claims warning as it probes 31 firms for referral ban breaches

7 September 2017

The Solicitors Regulation Authority has warned law firms that they are not doing enough to weed out “false or dubious” holiday sickness claims and that some are engaging in shady practices like encouraging clients to delete evidence. It is also investigating 31 firms over potentially improper referral arrangements with claims management companies.


Conveyancing work falls to lowest level in three years

7 September 2017

Conveyancing work has fallen to its lowest level since the middle of 2013, and the number of firms actively doing the work hit a new low, a survey has found. While the top five firms have been “insulated” from the lull in the market, the smallest operators outside the top 1,000 conveyancing practice have suffered the most.


“People die of food poisoning” – misleading holiday claims advert pulled after watchdog ruling

6 September 2017

A claims management company has withdrawn a YouTube advert designed to generate holiday sickness claims after the Advertising Standards Authority ruled that it was misleading. It is the latest front in the battle against sickness claims being waged by ABTA, which lodged the complaint.


Report: “huge unmet legal need for unbundled services across the board”

6 September 2017

There is a massive demand for unbundled – or limited scope – legal services, not just in famiy law but in almost all areas of legal practice, according to a report into unbundling. Lawyers’ nervousness about possible professional negligence risks associated with unbundling meant a “structured framework within which to practice” was worthwhile to encourage their participation.


Machine learning could help clients understand wills, software entrepreneur claims

6 September 2017

Machine learning could be used to explain even the most complicated and obscure wills in plain English, a software entrepreneur has predicted. He said another development over the coming years could be the use of chatbots to handle routine enquiries.


Court of Appeal criticises firms that persuade clients to bring PI undersettlement claims

5 September 2017

The Court of Appeal has criticised law firms which attract clients through adverts which suggest their previous solicitors may have undersettled personal injury claims. It also said there should be “a sensible limit” on what should be expected of a solicitor operating on a fixed fee in a “high volume, low cost commoditised scheme”.

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The SRA’s strict liability gamble has failed. Good

The Court of Appeal handed down its judgment in Dentons v SRA on 27 April, and the profession is right to welcome it. It is the second time in short succession that the court has corrected the SRA.


How AI presents real opportunities for barristers

AI presents real opportunities to improve access to justice and to support barristers in day-to-day legal practice. But we all need to understand and mitigate the risks.


Not everything can be a competition issue – a new dawn for consumer redress

Last month, the Law Commission launched a new project to “consider the potential introduction of a consumer class actions regime” in England and Wales.


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