Legal Services Act

Alternative business structure Brilliant Law has claimed an advance in the online sale of legal services to SMEs by tailoring each one to the needs of the purchaser for no extra fee – with solicitors even taking payment for them over the phone.

There needs to be greater control of alternative business structures (ABSs) set up by insurance companies to “ensure appropriate behaviour” and even a ban on ABSs operating in the small claims court, AXA Insurance has told MPs.

Criticism of the government’s decision not to regulate will-writing continued yesterday – although the two bodies representing the will-writing community appeared at odd over the prospects of self-regulation succeeding.

As the UK’s first alternative business structure, Premier Property Lawyers has more claim than most to be a pioneer. As we restart our Legal Pioneers series profiling innovative legal services providers, Sam Chadderton talks to Kevin Smith

The government has today rejected the Legal Services Board’s (LSB) recommendation that will-writing become a reserved legal activity. There had been near-unanimous support from legal and consumer groups for the move.

A defendant insurance law firm is to join forces with commercial claims handlers and loss adjusters within an alternative business structure to provide an outsourced service to insurance companies for professional indemnity claims.

Riverview Law, the fixed-priced commercial law business, has signed a strategic alliance with south-east firm DMH Stallard that will see the pair pitch jointly for new business. Riverview is also applying for an alternative business structure (ABS) licence.

Alternative business structure Quindell Portfolio has issued a “further clarification” over its financial position in a bid to stem a continuing slump in its share price. Quindell shares rallied this morning, having fallen by more than half last week.

Five legal price comparison websites have signed up to good practice standards issued by two regulators and the Legal Services Consumer Panel – although they are to remain voluntary, with no external validation.

A top north-west alternative business structure (ABS) has continued its expansion by moving into London. Fresh from its ABS licence approval in January, Stephensons is seizing on the “flexibility” of its new structure to muscle in on the London conveyancing market.