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The Law Society, Association of Personal Injury Lawyers and Motor Accident Solicitors Society last week put a ban on cold calling at the forefront of their joint campaign to ward off the personal injury reforms. They said the government should focus on ending the activities of cold callers “who seek to profit from bogus or exaggerated claims”, rather than introduce the reforms,

The Competition and Market Authority’s report on legal services yesterday provoked a predictably mixed response that pitted the Law Society against the Solicitors Regulation Authority, and found support from the body representing paid McKenzie Friends. Meanwhile, the Council for Licensed Conveyancers called on the Legal Services Board to use its powers to force regulatory independence to happen.

A solicitor has been struck off for practising without being authorised by the regulator and, when challenged, dishonestly claiming he had not handled client money when he had an account set up for the purpose.

A boutique commercial firm with strong links to south-east Asia has become an alternative business structure as part of its growth plans, which include forming an alliance with several Middle East law firms.

Regulators need to deliver a “step change in standards of transparency” so that lawyers’ clients can both understand the price and service they will receive, and compare providers, the Competition and Markets Authority said today. The watchdog also called on the government to review the whole regulatory regime, and backed full independence for legal regulators.

The incoming chairman of the Bar last night questioned the way court modernisation is being carried out, expressing concern that there is “no plan B” if digitisation does not work and that the justice system would lose its essence by moving to online hearings. His wide-ranging inaugural speech also focused on the travails of the junior Bar.

The Solicitors Regulation Authority has published a blueprint for simplifying its system for granting waivers to regulations in order to promote innovation, which it suggests will particularly benefit small firms. The new policy would guarantee no enforcement action would be taken if innovations create technical breaches of the rules.

The Solicitors Regulation Authority has painted a “generally positive” picture of law firms specialising in asylum work, but uncovered serious weaknesses on referrals, fees and the handling of judicial reviews.

The Ministry of Justice confirmed yesterday that it will report on the outcome of its consultation on personal injury reform in early April, as a campaign backed by the Labour Party has highlighted the £200m that insurance companies stand to gain from the changes.

Barnet and Harrow councils in London have renewed their shared legal service, HB Public Law, a year early, preserving the alternative business structure that has the biggest local authority legal team in the country. However, Fairpoint Group plc has seen its share price crash since issuing a profits warning about its legal arm.