Latest news
Conveyancer who tested Veyo: Law Society “built something nobody wanted”
The managing director of a law firm involved in testing Veyo has described how the Law Society realised too late that it had “built something nobody wanted”. David Bridge said what was left of Veyo should be converted into a secure portal for conveyancers.
BSB sticks to its guns on limited ABS licensing
The Bar Standards Board has rejected suggestions that its application to become an alternative business structure licensing authority will unnecessarily restrict the extent of non-lawyer ownership and so have a detrimental effect on competition.
One in ten legal advice agencies facing closure next year
One in ten legal advice agencies warn that they are likely to close next year, a report for the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) has revealed. More than half had been forced to make major changes as a result of LASPO.
Exclusive: Relate to launch UK’s first divorce ODR system
The first online dispute resolution (ODR) system for divorcing and separating couples in the UK is to be launched by Relate next spring. Relate has received no government funding for the project, and instead relied on a number of sources, including Google.
Jailed solicitor who stole from estates struck off for “disgraceful” behaviour
Simon Armitage, a sole practitioner jailed for four years in October for fraud, has been struck off in his absence by the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal. Although the solicitor had wished to come off the roll voluntarily, it was “in the public interest” for his misconduct to be “aired before the tribunal”.
Two out and two in once again – SRA maintains City bias on its board
The Solicitors Regulation Authority has again maintained the City bias on its board with its latest batch of appointments. Like last year, two City solicitor members have left the board and been replaced with two more – one from magic circle firm Freshfields and the other in-house at ITV.
PI firm blames Autumn Statement as it suspends construction of “iconic” £8m building
Personal injury firm Asons has suspended building work on an “iconic” £8m new office in Bolton and announced a restructuring programme in response to chancellor George Osborne’s Autumn Statement. The firm said it wanted to focus on “shoring up its defences”.
Law Society “must be held to account” over collapse of Veyo
The Law Society “must be held to account” for the collapse of conveyancing portal Veyo, the founder of the Bold Legal Group has said. Rob Hailstone accused the society of “hiding the truth about its mismanagement”.
Big firms prefer bank lending to new forms of external finance, survey shows
The finance directors of large law firms prefer to stick with more traditional forms of funding for their practices that do not involve accepting external investment, new research has indicated.
Earnings of criminal legal aid barristers fall 8% in two years
The fee income of Crown Court legal aid barristers from the Advocated Graduated Fee Scheme has fallen by 8% in the last two years, new figures have shown. The figures do not include QCs.
Blog
Mazur: a symptom not a cause?
If Mazur is a symptom, what does it mean for the underlying health of our civil justice system: the ‘finest legal system in the world’?
Cross-generation collaboration: the key to in-house legal tech adoption
In-house legal function leaders will increasingly have to evolve their thinking on how to manage multigenerational teams containing differing levels of technological expertise.
AI and law firm risk – the view of professional indemnity insurers
In considering law firm applications for cover, many insurers will expect to see evidence of how firms are adapting to AI and preparing for the future.
