Alternative business structures

The Competition and Markets Authority has called for alternative business structures to be allowed in Scotland, and for a shift to the independent regulation of lawyers.

Arizona has become the first state in the US to formally seek the introduction of alternative business structures, it has emerged.

Southern England commercial law firm EMW has made the first of what it says will be a series of acquisitions of specialist consultancies as it looks to diversify beyond legal work.

A boutique sports law firm that counts Premier League football players among its clients has become an alternative business structure and is ready to discuss external investment.

A planning consultancy has created an alternative business structure to handle the legal work associated with planning applications, targeting referrals from small law firms.

Partners and staff at listed law firm Gateley sold £11m worth of shares yesterday – making £27m since it went public – amid a burst of news about listed legal businesses, including Knights and Redde.

The American Bar Association yesterday encouraged states to consider “innovative approaches to the access to justice crisis” but made clear it was not recommending alternative business structures.

An alternative business structure that combines legal and political advice has hired Theresa May’s former chief of staff as well as a former chief of the defence staff.

An alternative business structure owned equally by two law firms and an accountancy practice has recorded a 1,200% surge in post-tax profits.

Lawyers in the US capital Washington DC are the latest in America to try and remove the ban on ABSs, while the president of the American Bar Association is backing efforts to rethink regulation.