Legal Services Act
Don’t panic about new entrants but you have to act, warns solicitor who founded retail chain
A staid profession is a dead profession, a solicitor turned high street entrepreneur has warned, telling lawyers that they need to change the way they do things. However, Sahar Hashemi – the one-time City solicitor who went on to found Coffee Republic – said law firms should not panic.
Slater & Gordon chief urges firms to adopt employee ownership plans
Employee ownership of law firms is an opportunity to get the best young lawyers into early equity and minimise risk, according to Neil Kinsella, Slater & Gordon UK’s chief executive, as he outlined how the sector could respond to the changing legal landscape.
Exclusive: well-known PI firm unveils new post-LASPO ABS model
Well-known personal injury law firm Gorman Hamilton has launched a twin-track approach to life after LASPO, part of which has been to form an alternative business structure (ABS) in which a credit hire company has a minority stake.
Massive unmet legal need among small businesses, landmark research finds
Legal problems are costing small businesses in England and Wales £100bn a year, with fears over the cost of legal advice meaning they are far more likely to go it alone than seek help, authoritative new research from the Legal Services Board has found.
Underwood: Co-op and Quindell will fail as public turns against “big faceless institutions”
Big legal businesses such as Co-operative Legal Services and Quindell “will all fail”, according to leading alternative business structure (ABS) critic Kerry Underwood. However, he welcomed the possibilities opened up by external capital for existing legal practices.
Reform uncertainty forces new criminal law ABS to put external investment thoughts on hold
Plans to grow a criminal legal aid firm that has just received its alternative business structure licence – potentially through external investment – are on hold pending the outcome of the government’s current reform plans, according to its head of legal.
Fixed fees play major role in client satisfaction, survey finds
The use of fixed fees in family, probate and housing cases has risen significantly, leading to far higher rates of client satisfaction than when they pay by the hour, according to a major consumer survey.
Newly listed Australian law firm plans to follow Slater & Gordon to UK
The newest listed law firm in Australia – and the third biggest personal injury practice in the country – is eyeing up an acquisition in the UK, it has emerged. The fast-growing Shine Lawyers listed last week and saw its share price instantly increase by a half.
Consumer panel warns government against restricting choice of solicitor for legal aid clients
The Legal Services Consumer Panel has strongly criticised the government’s plan to deny defendants the right to choose their own solicitor under price competitive tendering, with new data showing that legally aided clients are more likely to shop around than any other.
Quindell shares back on the up as fellow PI ABS reports strong results
Alternative business structure Quindell Portfolio plc has seen its share price recover ground after it fell by more than a half in less than a week. Meanwhile, ABS and leading personal injury firm Fentons has announced record turnover for the last financial year.
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The AI question law firms should answer before a client asks it
Most law firms we speak to are already using AI, whether or not they have approved it, because fee-earners are doing it anyway. The tool people settle on is often Claude.
From chat to Cowork: preparing your law firm for agentic AI
AI is evolving quickly. For law firms still working out how to get consistent value from the tools they already have, the conversation has moved on again to agentic AI.
Why good governance matters when managing Law Society forms
Everyday legal transactions rely on Law Society forms. But they are often treated as static templates rather than what they really are: living documents that change over time.
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