Market monitor
Land Registry fails to hit target for reducing lawyers’ errors
HM Land Registry has not met its target to reduce the number of requests for information that it has to send to law firms that have submitted incomplete or inaccurate information.
Two-thirds of divorce clients pay fixed fees
Almost two-thirds of divorce and separation clients now pay fixed fees, but less than half of them end up paying the price quoted at the start, a report has found.
Keystone share dip shows market contagion risk
Investors have still to understand the legal market fully, according to the chief executive of listed law firm Keystone, which suffered market contagion last month because of problems at a litigation funder.
Labour pledges £74m for lawyers, law centres and legal aid
The Labour Party has pledged to spend £74m to provide free legal training for 200 community lawyers, establish more law centres, and reverse all the cuts to legal aid-funded Early Legal Help.
Lower-cost legal departments spend more on alternative providers
Lower-cost in-house legal departments spend three times more on alternative legal services providers and twice as much on training, research has found.
Defendant solicitors worry about PI reforms delay
A leading insurance law firm has outlined worries that the Civil Liability Act reforms will not be implemented in April 2020 as currently planned.
ABS Carbon opens platform to own-brand start-ups
A virtual firm alternative business structure aimed at top-end solicitors approaching retirement is white labelling entities to groups of lawyers or overseas practices looking to start up under their own brand.
Third “and probably last” ABS joint venture for NAHL
NAHL plc – the company that owns National Accident Helpline – has unveiled its third, and probably last, joint venture alternative business structure as it prepares for next year’s personal injury reforms.
Exclusive: Future of BT’s ABS under scrutiny
The future of BT Law is under scrutiny as the communications giant that owns the alternative business structure moves to focus more on its core business, Legal Futures can reveal.
Listed firm diversifies with £22m corporate finance deal
City firm Rosenblatt has made its first acquisition as a listed business – and begun diversifying away from legal services – by spending up to £22m on a specialist sell-side corporate finance boutique.
Blog
Modern search is about ‘knowledge’ retrieval
Search has long been understood as data retrieval – the ability to call back information and check a box on finding something. Legal professionals today need more of a 360-degree view on a matter.
Lessons from Sir Keir Starmer for SRA chief
The proposed 29%, or £25m, increase in the Solicitors Regulation Authority’s budget announced last week should really come as no great surprise.
The hidden risks in client account reconciliations
The client account reconciliation process will be second nature to most people in legal finance – and so is also a potential area for a problem to be undetected until it becomes serious.
