Legal Services Act
LSB chief calls for training review to be radical
The Legal Education and Training Review needs to be radical and permanently separate authorisation to practise from professional titles, the chairman of the Legal Services Board said this week.
Top firms put mergers at forefront of strategy as pressure from clients forces change, says report
Merger and acquisition activity is becoming a far greater strategic priority among the largest law firms, new research has shown – although most still remain wary of alternative business structures. It also highlighted how top firms are being forced to offer fixed fees.
Government targets legal services regulation in ‘Red Tape Challenge’
The government is planning to slash unnecessary red tape around the regulation of legal services, it has emerged. The Red Tape Challenge – a government-wide initiative to cut the 21,000 regulations currently in force in the UK – will spotlight legal services in June.
BSB outlines framework to regulate ABSs and allow barristers to conduct litigation
The Bar Standards Board has launched its final scheme for regulating advocacy-focused alternative business structures in what it described as a “declaration of intent” to become the regulator of choice for advocates.
Big law firms told to allow trade in the value of their businesses
Large law firms should consider structures that allow them “to trade in the substantial value of their businesses”, a corporate advisory firm claimed yesterday. Europa Partners said that six of the top ten by value large enough to be included in the FTSE 100 if they were listed.
Solicitor receives suspended sentence for failure to co-operate with Legal Ombudsman
The High Court has handed a suspended four-month sentence to a solicitor who failed to co-operate with an investigation by the Legal Ombudsman. The judge only held back from committing him to prison because of his personal mitigation.
Top criminal firm eyes joint bidding for legal aid contracts
National criminal law firm Tuckers could look to form consortia with other practices to bid for legal aid contracts, it has revealed. The firm has recently begun offering other criminal law firms access to its back-office services in a bid to generate income, and save costs for smaller practices.
Revealed: financial services group set to enter the law with PI firm as 33 stage 2 applications go in
A financial services group is to submit its stage two ABS licence application this week as it bids to add a legal practice to its portfolio, Legal Futures can reveal. It comes as the SRA reveals how many would-be ABSs have filed stage two applications.
‘eBay for lawyers’ goes live as new services target intra-profession referrals
Two lawyer-to-lawyer referral services have gone live. ReferMarket and Lawyer to Lawyer both aim to help firms realise the value of cases they cannot for whatever reason handle themselves, but do so in very different ways.
PI firms need scale to survive, says firm pumping £3m into its business
Personal injury firms need scale to survive in future, a Manchester law firm has warned as it gears up for a £3m investment into growing its practice. Express Solicitors is expanding ahead of ABSs, the referral fee ban and the extended RTA portal.
Blog
The SRA needs to admit it got it wrong about SLAPPs
The High Court judgment in Ashley Hurst v SRA in January raises serious questions about the regulator’s approach to allegations of SLAPP-like behaviour.
Why menopause support belongs on every law firm’s agenda
Progression in the law slows significantly as women approach senior leadership. Most will be at the height of their careers around the average age menopause symptoms begin.
Law firms need to go beyond document checks
At the root of every failed compliance review is a familiar phrase: a calm assertion of “but we did a document check”.
