Latest news
Students to play virtual reality game to learn about criminal law
Academics at Westminster Law School have joined forces with their counterparts in the university’s Department of Computer Science to create a virtual reality ‘game’ that they hope will teach students criminal law.
Rocket Lawyer blasts into mainland Europe on back of UK success
Online legal services business Rocket Lawyer is expanding into continental Europe on the back of its success in the UK to date, which has seen nearly 200,000 people sign up to the service and create more than a million documents in less than four years.
Lord Chancellor expresses delight at action taken against “ambulance chasing” law firm
The new Lord Chancellor used her first appearance in the House of Commons to label Birmingham law firm Public Interest Lawyers as “ambulance chasers”. In her first justice questions, Liz Truss also addressed issues such as diversity in the legal profession, apprenticeships, and legal services as “a key part of post-Brexit global Britain”.
Ex-Premier League footballer launches ABS
A company founded by an ex-Premier League footballer to help people buy and invest in overseas property has converted into an alternative business structure so as to bring legal work in-house. Judicare Law International also seeks to protect investors in foreign property from losing money to developers in collapsed schemes and scams.
Bar Council raises fundamental concerns about CPD scheme shortly before launch
The Bar Council has slammed the Bar Standards Board’s forthcoming continuing professional development regime as being burdensome, complicated, unfit for purpose, and involving “pointless” self-assessment. It warned that the scheme would lead to “many practitioners” being “likely to fail in their compliance”.
Leading business recovery firm launches ABS
Well-known recovery specialist Leonard Curtis has today launched an alternative business structure to create a multi-disciplinary offering to businesses in financial distress. The solicitor founder said his experience to date showed how accountants were much better at being SMEs’ ‘trusted adviser’ than law firms.
Solicitor cleared over accepting money from Axiom fund – but still faces £46,000 costs bill
A solicitor who borrowed money from the controversial Axiom Legal Financing Fund has been cleared of any misconduct by a Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal – taking the count in cases arising from Axiom to five solicitors struck off and three cleared. However, costs do not follow the event in the tribunal and he was ordered to pay £46,000 in costs.
Still hanging on the telephone – law firms fail the mystery shopping test
There is still evidence of a culture within law firms where incoming client enquiries are not valued, or seen from the client’s point of view, a new report has found. Concert’s Legal services communications report said there was a “particular gap” around sales-focused communication.
Record results for Redde as it takes full ownership of its second ABS
Redde plc – the AIM-listed accident management company that owns two law firms, announced record results yesterday, and also that it has taken full ownership of the smaller of its alternative business structures. Turnover grew 53% to £379m, with profit before tax up a similar amount to £34.6m.
SDT strikes off solicitor who denied receiving money from third party
A solicitor has been struck off by the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal after dishonestly misleading a client that her firm had not received an expected £10,000 from a third party. She later repaid the amount from another client’s account without permission, and falsely claimed she had issued and conducted court proceedings on his behalf when she had not.
Blog
The SRA’s client money reforms: good intentions, questionable execution
On the face of it, the SRA’s plans to tighten protections around client money sounds sensible. The detail, as ever, tells a more complicated story.
Recruitment, retention and reward in the legal accounts world
Understanding the legal finance market is important – not just for those actively involved in it day-to-day but also for leaders within law firms.
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.
