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AIM-listed Fairpoint Group is set to become almost entirely a legal services business after announcing that it will stop offering debt management plans – which was once a key part of its business. It said that from next year the group would focus on its “higher-growth legal services segment”.

A lawyer-matching service to be launched by a Manchester solicitor next month aims to recruit 15,000 to 20,000 clients by the end of the year. Kid Harwood, director of Lawbid, said the service wanted to change the “balance of power” for consumers.

A solicitor who allowed his wife to make improper transfers from his firm’s client account has been suspended by the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal.

National law firm Cartwright King is launching a franchise scheme for solicitors who want to set up their own practices, which will operate in a similar way to a virtual firm but allow franchisees to benefit from an existing national brand.

An immigration solicitor who signed a statement of truth on a blank claim form which was then accidentally passed to a claimant who used it to launch a judicial review, has been fined by the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal. She had been referred for investigation by the president of the Queen’s Bench Division, Sir Brian Leveson.

Major law firms should partner with the government “to ramp up efforts to export UK legal and regulatory standards to emerging markets” as a way to boost trade and investment post-Brexit, leading lobbying group TheCityUK said today.

Gateley is seeing the benefits of being the first UK-listed law firm, its chairman said today as it announced record turnover. Revenue increased 10.2% to £67.1m in the year to 30 April 2016, with profit before tax up 12.2% to £11m. As a result shareholders are to see a final dividend of 3.764p.

Shailesh Vara has left government, leaving the Ministry of Justice with three junior ministers – down from six before the reshuffle. Downing Street announced today that law officer Lord Keen of Elie QC will speak on MoJ business in the Lords. Former Lord Chancellor Lord Falconer also today attacked the appointment of Liz Truss.

Nearly half of consumer legal services are provided on a fixed-fee basis, new research has found – but it said consumers are still being hampered by a lack of information to help them choose the right lawyer, leading to “lower levels of satisfaction and trust in legal services”.

A solicitor’s convictions for money laundering have been overturned by the Court of Appeal in a case involving corrupt payments linked to a multi-million dollar UN medical aid contract for the Democratic Republic of Congo. He was convicted despite the judge finding him unfit to be cross-examined.