Legal Services Act
Vulnerable could lose out under new consumer credit regime, panel warns
Vulnerable people could lose out under the latest plans by the Solicitors Regulation Authority for the regulation of consumer credit work, the Legal Services Consumer Panel has warned. Meanwhile the Law Society called for greater clarity on payment of legal fees by instalments.
Potential shareholder claims hit 850 after “breathtaking” Quindell restatements
The number of potential shareholder claims against Quindell plc has hit 850 in the wake of last week’s “breathtaking” financial restatements, it has emerged. The number of potential claimants had been “increasingly fairly steadily”, but “there was a surge over the last week or so”.
Former prosecutor takes reins at Legal Ombudsman
A former Chief Crown Prosecutor has been named as the new chief executive of the Legal Ombudsman. Barrister Nick Hawkins, who spent 15 years in the Crown Prosecution Service, is currently chief operating officer for the Independent Police Complaints Commission.
Firm of “external in-house counsel” joins regulated community as ABS
A boutique firm of external in-house counsel has launched an alternative business structure in order to expand and strengthen its non-lawyer management. London-headquartered Cleveland & Co received its ABS licence from the Solicitors Regulation Authority, effective from 1 August.
Exclusive: Minster Law signs national advocacy deal with Clerksroom and Parklane Plowden
Personal injury specialist Minster Law has signed an exclusive two-year contract with national chambers Clerksroom and Parklane Plowden, to provide barristers for its fast and multi-track cases. Stephen Ward, chief executive of Clerksroom, said he hoped similar contracts would follow.
Outsourcing giant launches ABS to add legal to claims services
A global legal outsourcing brand has launched an alternative business structure to add legal services to its motor claims business. WNS, based in Mumbai, has delivery centres across the world.
Slow off the blocks? BSB regulates fewer firms than expected as ABS launch date slips further
The Bar Standards Board (BSB), which predicted at one point last year that it would authorise 400 firms in 2015, has authorised only 32 in its first four months as an entity regulator, it has emerged. Meanwhile it may not be regulating alternative business structures until later next year.
Rules forcing local authorities to set up ABSs “risk privatisation of public sector legal services”
Local authority legal departments are being forced to set up alternative business structures by restrictive rules on in-house lawyers, leading to the “privatisation” of public sector legal services, the director of Essex Legal Services has claimed.
Business services giant blames SRA rules for scuppering ABS plans
Peninsula Business Services, one of the largest unregulated providers of legal services in the country, has blamed Solicitors Regulation Authority rules for scuppering its plans to set up an alternative business structure. The company provides employment law, HR and health and safety advice to over 30,000 small businesses in the UK.
Reform of in-house lawyer regulation could improve consumer access to justice, says LSB
The removal of regulatory restrictions on in-house lawyers could provide greater access to justice for consumers, the Legal Services Board has said. It also warned the Solicitors Regulation Authority and Bar Standards Board that the reviews of the rules for in-house lawyers they are starting “will need to be far reaching”.
Blog
How does the legal profession become neuroinclusive?
My learning journey as mum to an autistic son with profound additional needs completely changed the way in which I work as a child protection lawyer.
The real cure for inequality at law firms? Listening
How can men, as one male panellist put it, “get out of the way of people coming up through the ranks?”
Most of these conversations only happen after the men leave the room.
Andy Burnham and the Hillsborough Law: should solicitors be worried?
Now that Andy Burnham has become prime minister, the Public Office (Accountability) Bill, otherwise known as the Hillsborough Law, will receive a real boost of political capital.
