Latest news

Clerksroom Direct, the online service matching direct access barristers to members of the public, has had 170 approaches so far this month, with half converting to paid work at higher average rates than expected, it has emerged.

Solicitors running two firms caught out by changes to the indemnity insurance rules and the closure of the assigned risks pool in 2012-13 have been fined by the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal for failing to wind-down their practices in an orderly manner.

A YouTube video of an angry man slicing household goods and a car in half in response to separating from his wife – which has been viewed more than six million times and been covered by media outlets across the world as he sought to sell his share on eBay – has been revealed as a stunt by lawyers.

The court system is on the verge of a “profound revolution” as technology sweeps away the old way of conducting litigation of all types, Sir Brian Leveson said yesterday, including dealing with lower-level criminal cases entirely online.

The Quality Assurance Scheme for Advocates (QASA) is finally set to go ahead after the Supreme Court ruled that it was “the only way” to protect all members of the public involved in criminal proceedings “at an upper level”. But it has been claimed that the decision will make it harder for similar schemes to be introduced for other areas of law.

The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has launched an investigation into public statements made by Quindell about its accounts during 2013 and 2014, it was announced this morning. Separately Quindell has requested a temporary suspension of its shares, while also starting a review of “a number of the company’s historic transactions and acquisitions”.

An alternative business structure (ABS) set up by well-known legal expenses insurer ULR Additions has been closed down as part of a shift in business strategy by its new owners. Our round-up of ABS news also reports on expansion at Knights, a strategic move by Ascent and new partnership for Co-op Legal Services.

A Bolton law firm has won an unusual judicial review against the decision of a Recorder who had accused it in his ruling of being party to a ‘crash for cash’ fraud, without giving the solicitors the chance to rebut the allegation.

The most successful members of the legal profession need to do more to help protect access to justice for all, the Lord Chancellor Michael Gove said today, warning that the status quo is not “defensible”. A one nation approach to justice cannot be blind to the fact that “while resources are rationed at one end of our justice system rewards are growing at the other end”.

A team of legal executives who were once a debt recovery arm of Eversheds, has launched an alternative business structure to bring litigation in-house under the supervision of its FILEx head of legal practice.