Latest news
Legal market to grow “in all areas” as PE extends reach
The legal services market will grow across all practice areas in 2026 for the first time since Covid, researchers have predicte, while a growing private equity presence is “a continuing theme”.
Solicitor jailed for grooming and abuse of teenage girls
A solicitor who groomed two teenage girls into engaging in sexual activity and sending explicit images, before pressuring them to retract their accounts, has been jailed.
SRA ordered to pay solicitor £50k in costs after failed prosecution
The Solicitors Regulation Authority has been ordered to pay a solicitor exonerated by a disciplinary tribunal £50,000 in costs.
Majority of mid-sized law firms “have been approached by PE”
Seven in 10 of mid-sized law firms have been contacted in the last year by a private equity investor or PE-backed law firm about acquisition, according to new research.
Private equity opens door to US law firms with MSO deal
The door to external investment in US law firms has opened wide after a private equity house announced a deal with a personal injury practice.
GCs call on Law Society to withdraw whistleblowing guidance
A network of female general counsel has called on the Law Society to withdraw whistleblowing guidance for in-house lawyers, arguing that it “entrenches the longstanding bias against reporting”.
CA urges sampling approach to deal with bill for “eye-watering” costs
The Court of Appeal has described the costs claimed in a high-profile claim as “eye-watering even by Commercial Court standards” and urged a sampling approach to their assessment.
Supreme Court boosts consumer firms eyeing business energy claims
Consumers claims law firms will be sizing up the business energy claims market after the Supreme Court allowed a key appeal on undisclosed commissions by consent.
Strike off for solicitor who told colleague to lie
A family law solicitor who asked a newly qualified legal executive to lie to a litigant in person, having already lied to him herself, has been struck off.
CAT rejects relaxation of conflict of interest rule for panel members
The Competition Appeal Tribunal has decided against relaxing its conflict of interest rule for panel members and chairs, saying case-by-case recusals would not be a sufficient safeguard.
Blog
AI in family law – drawing the line for clients and lawyers
AI is becoming increasingly intertwined with family law. Clients are using it to draft initial enquiries, prepare statements and, in some cases, to support themselves as litigants in person.
Why AI and leadership choices will define law firm profitability in 2026
Despite rapid advances in legal technology, the future of law will not be determined by software alone. It will be shaped by leadership decisions.
Legal director: an alternative to partnership
Firms are increasingly acknowledging the need for alternative senior roles – positions that offer influence and recognition without the obligations of ownership.
