Latest news
SRA asylum report: Positive picture marred by meritless judicial reviews
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.
MoJ to move ahead with PI reforms rapidly as Labour backs ‘fat cat insurers’ campaign
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.
One pioneering ABS receives stamp of approval as another sees investors sell off its shares
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.
Leading wills and probate provider opts for 100% employee ownership
One of the country’s biggest independent firms of will-writers has followed the example set by law firms like Stephens Scown and Gateley and introduced employee ownership in a multi-million pound deal with its previous owners.
Review urges higher fees and mandatory training to combat “poor-quality” advice in Youth Courts
The status and quality of legal representation for children before the Youth Court need to be raised first by an increase in legal aid rates and then by mandatory training for all solicitors and barristers appearing for them, a government-commissioned review has recommended.
Conveyancing firm apologises for “Christmas premium” letter
A volume conveyancing firm has apologised after sending out letters to clients asking for an additional £200 fee to “prioritise” their files in the run-up to Christmas. Meanwhile, the Council for Licensed Conveyancers is to launch a ‘secure badge’ to help the firms it regulates combat their websites being cloned.
Bar Council on Brexit: UK lawyers could lose “vast amount of work”
A “vast amount” of complex and lucrative international commercial work could be lost by UK lawyers if they are denied access to the EU legal services market as a result of Brexit, the Bar Council has warned – although some lawyers would “doubtless be in high demand in the short term for new, Brexit-related work”.
Hackathon app “will help LGBT people report persecution safely”
Lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender people around the world will be able to report incidents of persecution to international lawyers stealthily through everyday social media, after a hackathon backed by some of the largest UK law firms devised an app.
Norfolk councils plan ABS to increase revenue and client base
A shared legal services between four local authorities in Norfolk is set to create an alternative business structure (ABS). Norfolk Public Law – which trades as nplaw – is choosing to add the ABS alongside its existing practice, rather than transfer everything into the new company.
Solicitor sanctioned for leaving professional disbursements unpaid for five years
A solicitor who retained nearly £50,000 of client money for up to five years instead of paying professional disbursements has accepted a rebuke and fine to halt her referral to the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal.
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.
