Legal Services Act

Criminal defence lawyers in England and Wales could become “extinct”, the Law Society has warned on the back of data showing that this is an increasingly ageing part of the profession. It comes amid cross-profession unity for action over the huge damage lawyers say the government is causing the criminal justice system.

The interim chair of the Legal Services Board has explained to MPs on the justice select committee why the oversight regulator rejected their plea to postpone a decision on the Solicitors Qualifying Examination. The committee called on the board to defer its decision for six months.

Lawyers are getting better at handling complaints, meaning that those reaching the Legal Ombudsman are becoming more complex and costly, the organisation said last week in part justification for an increase in its budget for the second year running.

A new law firm regulated by the Bar Standards Board aims to attract young barristers and solicitors interested in working together. Black Antelope Law is made up of two barristers, both of whom work on a direct access basis, and two solicitors. The lawyers work partly from home.

The founder of easyJet has entered the legal world today with the launch of easyConveyance, a conveyancing comparison tool. Sir Stelios Haji-Ioannou said it was “time for the home buying process to be brought into the 21st century”.

Claims management companies have been warned by their regulator not to use “misleading headlines” or “sensational language” in clickbait-style advertisements. Meanwhile, two directors of CMCs that made misleading sales calls and took unauthorised payments, have been disqualified by the High Court.

The value of the business legal services market will grow strongly over the next couple of years, powered partly by Brexit, a report has predicted. It also highlighted the importance of networking for commercial lawyers, with businesses large and small actively attending client seminars and other events.

Estate agents will need to be more transparent over referral fees they receive from lawyers, while conveyancers will have to publish performance data, the government has decreed. It will also demand that conveyancers adopt more quality standards as part of a continuing push to help potential clients choose their lawyer.

The Legal Services Board has rejected calls to adopt a policy position on legal aid reform and the impact it might have on access to justice. The oversight regulator also rebuffed the argument that it should stop pushing for regulatory reform at a time of instability caused by Brexit.

The Co-op has acquired Simplify Probate, the UK’s second largest provider of probate, as it bids to become the dominant player in the market. It has also unveiled a 13.6% increase in legal services turnover for 2017 and announced a strategic alliance with the Simplify Group for property and conveyancing services.