Legal Services Act
Jacoby & Meyers lays out twin-track approach to UK expansion
American consumer law firm Jacoby & Meyers, which last year laid out ambitious plans for the UK, will take a twin-track approach to expansion, with both branded offices and affiliations with existing practices, its newly appointed chief executive has revealed.
Will-writing body reports surge of applications following launch
A network set up as an alternative to established will writing representative bodies has claimed that in less than a fortnight since launch, it has already received applications from a quarter as many prospective members as it planned to sign up in the whole of 2014.
Leading conveyancing firm buys fellow ABS
Countrywide Conveyancing Services – an alternative business structure (ABS) that is one of the country’s largest conveyancing outfits – has issued a statement of its intent to grow by buying another leading property law firm.
CLC targets wider brief as property sector regulator
The Council for Licensed Conveyancers wants the power to regulate lawyers other than licensed conveyancers, as part of a strategy targeted at expanding its role within the property sector.
LSB and Law Society on new collision course over SRA appointments
The Legal Services Board is heading for another confrontation with the Law Society after proposing to take away its responsibility for appointing the chairman and board of the Solicitors Regulation Authority.
LSB to impose controversial lay chair requirement on regulators
The frontline regulators will be required to have lay chairs in future after the Legal Services Board (LSB) pressed ahead with its controversial change to the internal governance rules.
After BigLaw and NewLaw, here comes MicroLaw
The case for ‘micro’ law firms – small, boutique practices spun out of larger firms – is growing as lawyers struggle to control the ‘Leviathan’ of big practices, a top academic has argued.
QASA claimants bid to fight on to Court of Appeal
The legal challenge to the Quality Assurance Scheme for Advocates (QASA) is not yet dead after it emerged that the claimants have gone to the Court of Appeal to seek permission to appeal.
Debt management giant starts ABS as accountants close legal practice after just five months
One of the UK’s largest debt management companies, Harrington Brooks, which has an annual turnover of around £30m, has created an alternative business structure run by its head of legal services.
Online legal service targets web commerce market with ‘law in minutes’
A long-standing seller of legal documents is set to launch a venture selling simple packages of documents aimed at website developers and people running online businesses.
Blog
Amplifying reach through employee-driven thought leadership
Nine in 10 executives believe thought leadership is critical to building authority, yet only a quarter feel they have implemented a robust strategy.
Divorce escrow: asset sales before final settlement
When significant matrimonial assets are sold before a final financial order is agreed, holding the proceeds safely and neutrally can present real practical challenges.
AML lacks clarity – and standards are suffering
If firms are buckling under the pressure of AML regulations, subject to ever-increasing fines, then something is clearly not working as it should be.
