Legal Services Act
LSB demands greater transparency on practising fees
Legal regulators will have to explain more clearly how they spend their practising certificate fees under revised rules proposed by the Legal Services Board.
What price solidarity among legal aid lawyers?
Solidarity – or not – between legal aid lawyers is under the spotlight this week, with solicitors from 200 law firms coming together to force a change to immigration fees, but criminal firms falling out.
Dentons to add non-legal services amid global growth
The chairman of the world’s largest law firm, Dentons, has outlined a future of continued expansion, merging with both law firms and in time non-legal businesses around the world, including the UK.
LeO: Simplest complaints could take over a year to conclude
The Legal Ombudsman has warned that if its poor performance over the last few months continues, it could take more than a year to process even the simplest complaints.
Consumers “more likely to both shop around and complain”
Consumers of legal services are more likely to shop around and to make a formal complaint if they do not get what they want than in previous years, new research has found.
Chambers giving notice on leases in wake of Covid
Barristers may be keen to get back to work but they are not going back to chambers, and nearly a third of sets have given or are considering giving partial notice on their leases.
Judge loses race discrimination claim over litigant’s complaint
A judge has failed in his claim that he suffered discrimination, harassment and victimisation due to his race over how a complaint against him by a litigant was dealt with.
Quindell saga rumbles on with claim against PwC
The company formerly known as Quindell has served a £63m claim against accountancy firm PwC for allegedly using confidential information to reduce the amount Slater & Gordon paid.
Covid fall-out could lead to rush of law firm start-ups
The Covid-19 pandemic may reverse the trend towards consolidation in the SME legal market, with start-ups emerging as effective competition, according to the former boss of Cartwright King.
Hedge fund-backed debt business launches ambitious ABS
An alternative business structure has been launched by a hedge fund-backed business that finances commercial debt recovery litigation, with ambitious plans for expansion.
Blog
Why this is the year for law firms to embrace generative AI
After more than a year of pilots, proofs of value and early experimentation, firms are increasingly embedding AI into day-to-day workflows.
Client account interest is not spare change
The proposed Interest on Lawyers’ Client Accounts scheme is being framed as a sensible, international, “tried and tested” way for the profession to help fund a justice system under strain.
The formula for finance-enabled business development
Client concentration or over-dependence now counts as a top strategic risk for 26% of firms. Cross-selling is an antidote – a way to bolster revenue resilience without relying on client acquisition.
