Market monitor

A start-up aiming to give home buyers access to all the information on their move via an app is set to launch a pilot with several leading software providers – and through them law firms.

The “ageism” of new-breed ‘virtual’ law firms, with their focus on senior lawyers at the expense of younger ones, has not been confronted, an analysis has argued.

A “growing number of insurers” believe there will not be enough time for them to prepare properly for launch of the whiplash portal in April 2020, the new head of FOIL has warned. One said it was “impossible”.

Most of the large Irish law firms have been approached about a merger with a UK counterpart in the past year as City firms look to establish a foothold in the post-Brexit EU, it has emerged.

Investors are poised to buy into the legal services sector to capitalise on recent regulatory changes, with corporatised law firms best placed to benefit, according to an expert in external investment.

Metamorph Law, which has bought eight law firms in the past three years, is planning to list on the stock market in 12-18 months – the first move of its kind for a UK consumer law firm.

Listed law firm Ince Group is examining how it could take advantage of the new rules allowing solicitors to practise from unregulated businesses, it said today as it announced strong half-year results.

A minority of personal injury claimants, 43%, would be willing to use the government’s new portal for road traffic accident claims worth up to £5,000, a report has found.

A private investor has provided £1m in start-up funding for a Liverpool litigation boutique and alternative business structure specialising in complex and high-value commercial cases.

The traditional big law firm model is “backward looking” and the Big Four accountants pose “a seismic competitive change to practices of all types, sizes and locations”, Dentons has warned.