Legal Services Act
£5m fund to support social welfare advice goes live
A fund worth more than £5m to sustain UK social justice advisers through the Covid-19 pandemic – and as a “catalyst for wider renewal” – has gone live today.
Law firms under lockdown: “A train that is running out of puff”
Reduced billing by law firms in April was covered by a parallel fall in costs and arrival of government money, but the lack of new work is going to hurt them badly, according to new research.
IBA urges lawyers to adopt “climate-conscious” approach
Lawyers should take a “climate-conscious approach” to legal practice and advise clients of the risks of worsening the climate crisis, the International Bar Association has declared
Female entrepreneurs urge post-crisis support from GCs
A group of female entrepreneurs in the legal market has told general counsel that they have to support female-run start-up businesses if they are to survive the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Big firms “burning through” the little cash they have
Many of the country’s largest law firms are unprepared for the rate at which they are burning through cash during the Covid-19 pandemic, a review of their accounts has revealed.
Court hearings running at half pre-virus level
The courts and tribunals in England and Wales are now conducting almost half as many civil and criminal hearings as they did before the coronavirus crisis, a justice minister said yesterday.
MoJ pumps £5.4m into not-for-profit advice sector
The government has announced a £5.4m cash injection for law centres and other advice charities to help people with housing, debt, discrimination and employment problems during the Covid-19 crisis.
Mergers keep coming despite coronavirus crisis
The coronavirus crisis has not stopped a series of mergers taking place across the country in recent weeks, as well as specialist law firms starting up.
LSB to check random sample of disciplinary decisions
The Legal Services Board is planning to review a “random sample” of regulators’ disciplinary decisions to ensure the right processes and procedures are in place.
Arrested children may be given legal advice automatically
The government is considering whether children in police stations should have to opt out of receiving legal advice, rather than opt in as now, it has emerged.
Blog
On good authority? GenAI and the reputational risks to law firms
As GenAI’s influence grows, so do the risks which are already playing out in courtrooms across England and Wales, where some early adopters are setting precedents they would rather not.
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.
