Legal Services Act
Registered European lawyers to have “post-Brexit grace period”
Registered European lawyers will have a grace period until the end of next year to sort out how they will continue to practise in the UK, even if there is a no-deal Brexit, the government said last week.
Listed law firm owner sees shares reach all-time high
Shares in Anexo Group, the AIM-listed business that owns Liverpool law firm Bond Turner, reached a new high yesterday after announcing that it expected profits to exceed market expectations.
Barrister who obeyed LeO two hours before tribunal spared suspension
A barrister who complied with an order from the Legal Ombudsman to pay compensation to a client only two hours before appearing at a Bar disciplinary tribunal has been fined £2,000.
ABS conversion allows daughters to keep mother’s firm going
A trainee legal executive and her practice manager sister have taken over the law firm owned by their mother after her death, by restructuring it as an alternative business structure.
Slater & Gordon returns to profit after years of turbulence
Slater & Gordon – the first law firm owned by a hedge fund – made a small profit in its first year of independence from its one-time Australian parent, it revealed yesterday.
Law Society warns of £3.5bn hit from no-deal Brexit
The Law Society is warning that turnover from legal services would slump by £3.5bn in the event of a no-deal Brexit. It was particularly concerned about the fate of future UK lawyers.
MoJ official “confident” of hitting April 2020 deadline for PI reform
The civil servant overseeing the Civil Liability Act reforms yesterday declared his confidence that the 6 April 2020 target for implementation would be met. But he stressed that “ministers will not rush this”.
DWF hails “milestone” year with strong results – but IPO cost £12m
DWF, the world’s largest listed law firm, revealed that going public cost the business £12.6m while also slowing down its acquisition activity. Revenue for the year to 30 April grew 15% to £272m.
One in three legal consumers using online services
A third of consumers are now accessing legal services online while telephone-based services are declining, new research has found. However, the proportion shopping around is still relatively low.
High Court rejects libel claim over email sent by in-house lawyer
The High Court has rejected a libel claim by a woman who an in-house lawyer suggested in an email to a court official had potentially acted fraudulently.
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.
