News
High Court imposes restraint order on “obsessional” litigant who targeted lawyers
The High Court has imposed an extended civil restraint order on an “obsessional” libel litigant who sent over 100 text messages to the mobile phone of a partner at Pinsent Masons acting for Google UK. She also made complaints to professional bodies.
Barristers’ chambers launches ABS to expand military law services
A leading criminal defence set that set up an alternative business structure last year has launched a military law practice that has clients being investigated by the Ministry of Defence-funded Iraq Historic Allegations Team.
Solicitor turns to crowdfunding to back online contracts business
A young solicitor entrepreneur is seeking crowdfunding for an online documents business that will offer instant contracts via a mobile app and alert customers by e-mail to relevant law changes.
Associates should consider entrepreneurial “middle way”, futurologist advises
The Canadian futurologist who wrote a key report on ‘agile working’ in the legal profession, has issued a blueprint for law firm associates who aim to strike out on their own.
Google: two million legal searches made every day in UK
Two million online searches on legal subjects are made every day in the UK, according to a senior Google executive, who went on to advise lawyers that their future clients would increasingly be reached through video and mobile technology.
Red Bar eyes steady stream of barristers seconded to corporates
Our series catching up with the new breed of alternative business structures profiles Red Bar, the first start up ABS and a law firm offering early access to barristers, and how a no-nonsense approach to payment is aiding big expansion plans.
High Court strikes out barrister’s claim for compensation from BSB
A pioneering barrister who overturned a disciplinary tribunal ruling that she had conducted litigation in breach of the Bar’s then code of conduct, has lost her claim for compensation against the Bar Standards Board.
SRA aims to ease the path for MDPs
Non-reserved legal activities within multi-disciplinary alternative business structures should be taken out of regulation by the Solicitors Regulation Authority, it proposed yesterday.
Consumer panel backs greater recognition of McKenzie Friends
A new trade association, the Society of McKenzie Friends, is to be launched to represent the non-lawyer advisers who charge fees, as the first step towards self-regulation. The news comes as the Legal Services Consumer Panel concludes that the public interest benefits of MFs outweigh the risks.
ABSs top 300 mark with latest licencees demonstrating variety of new legal breed
The number of alternative business structures (ABSs) has passed 300, with a major international business support services company with offices around the world among the latest to achieve the status.
Blog
‘Knowledge activation’ is key for the future hybrid workforce
In the absence of full-scale office-based working, law firms and corporate legal departments will need to find new ways of ensuring collaboration and knowledge sharing among their legal professionals.
Law firms’ cost focus will drive financial innovation in the sector
What the pandemic has brought into sharp focus for firms is a desire to reduce costs. In 2019, research found cost reductions were last on a long list of priorities for firms; now they are near the top.
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