Consumer panel
No evidence of regulatory risks from online divorce, research finds
There is no evidence of online divorce leading to regulatory risks, joint research by the Legal Services Board and Legal Services Consumer Panel has found. The report found high levels of satisfaction with face-to-face legal advice (79%) and online (83%).
QC status “should be extended” beyond barristers and solicitors
QC status should be available to all advocates appearing in the higher courts, whether or not they are barristers or solicitors, the Legal Services Consumer Panel has said. It also reiterated its call for re-accreditation and ongoing competence checks for those with the mark.
MPs tell government to consult on formal regulation of McKenzie Friends
MPs have called on the government to consult on whether there should be formal regulation of McKenzie Friends, whether or not they charge fees. They said encouraging the use of McKenzie Friends “may in some circumstances amount to a counsel of despair”.
Law Society warns LeO away from taking on complaints against unregulated providers
The Law Society has told the Legal Ombudsman that solicitors’ practising certificate fees should not be used for ‘thought leadership’ exercises that extend beyond legal services.
Lawyers using libel threats to “intimidate” clients who post negative reviews online
Lawyers are increasingly using threats of libel action to intimidate clients into taking down negative reviews from comparison websites, it was claimed yesterday by a member of the Legal Services Consumer Panel.
Separate business rule reform will “unlock” competition and innovation in legal market
The Legal Services Consumer Panel has given “qualified support” to plans by the Solicitors Regulation Authority to rewrite the separate business rule. The panel said the existing rule had “fallen into disrepute”.
LeO opens door to investigating “tightly defined” third-party complaints
There is scope for the Legal Ombudsman (LeO) to offer redress to third parties, as long as the complaints involved could be “clearly and tightly defined”, a report by a LeO working party has found.
Consumer panel: “remarkable innovation” in the market but is deregulation going too far?
The Legal Services Consumer Panel today expressed concerned that “the recent emphasis on deregulation… is being taken too far”, while also praising the innovation seen to date through alternative business structures.
Unbundling – a necessity for consumers or risk to professional standards?
The potential for unbundling legal services to help consumers – and particularly litigants in person – is to be examined in a research project being commissioned by the Legal Services Board and Legal Services Consumer Panel.
Better late than never: MoJ finally publishes report on litigants in person
The Ministry of Justice has finally published a report it commissioned on litigants in person – more than a year after it was submitted. The report criticised the Legal Services Consumer Panel for calling for greater recognition for paid McKenzie Friends.
Blog
Change in regulator shouldn’t make AML less of a priority
While SRA fines for AML have been climbing, many in the profession aren’t confident they will get any relief from the FCA, a body used to dealing with a highly regulated industry.
There are 17 million wills waiting to be written
The main reason cited by people who do not have a will was a lack of awareness as to how to arrange one. As a professional community, we seem to be failing to get our message across.
The case for a single legal services regulator: why the current system is failing
From catastrophic firm collapses to endemic compliance failures, the evidence is mounting that the current multi-regulator model is fundamentally broken.
