News
Mayson: clients may not be as keen on using local law firms as they make out
Solicitors should not rely on clients who express a desire for local, personal services, Professor Stephen Mayson has warned. He also said the “insulting” distinction in law firms between fee-earners and support staff is holding them back.
Rocket Lawyer: we want lawyers to join but you will have to give free advice
Lawyers who sign up as suppliers to US online legal documents business Rocket Lawyer – which is coming to the UK next year – will be expected to do a significant amount of work for nothing, founder Charley Moore has revealed.
SRA to roll out relationship management to all big firms
The Solicitors Regulation Authority is to roll out supervision of large City and national law firms through relationship management after a successful pilot. The year-long pilot also highlighted outsourcing as an issue to which the SRA needs to pay particular attention.
Innovation and teamwork are “key to ABS survival”
Creativity and collaboration should be the priority for law firms looking to fend off the threats from a liberated legal market, with joint ventures, referral networks and share offerings all possible solutions, last week’s Legal Futures conference was told.
News in brief: SRA renewals delay, referral fee “ignorance”, and much more
Our regular round-up of news you need to know includes the appeal court quashing an ILEX disciplinary ruling, delays for solicitors renewing practising certificates, a survey of young drivers on referral fees, a survey finding support for outsourcing and much more besides.
“Inexcusable” ABS delay could cost law firms dear, corporate finance expert warns
The “inexcusable delay” in enabling the Solicitors Regulatory Authority to start licensing alternative business structures could make private investors think twice about entering the legal sector, the Legal Futures conference heard this week.
Legal aid bill timetable on track as judge warns of return to the costs war
The legal aid and Jackson reforms should come into force in October 2012, justice minister Jonathan Djanogly confirmed yesterday, as Labour launched a bid to make paying a referral fee a criminal offence punishable by up to six months in prison.
Jackson backs ACL’s progress in reforming the way solicitors bill their costs
Lord Justice Jackson has urged an Association of Costs Lawyers working group looking at a new way of presenting solicitors’ costs to continue its work “with all due expedition”. It says costs should be presented by reference to ‘phases, tasks and activities’.
Law Society to revive annual conference
The Law Society is to resuscitate its annual conference next year, hoping to attract at least 300 people to Celtic Manor in Wales and make a decent profit from it. The conference was stopped several years ago because it was losing money.
QualitySolicitors hits the big time as PE investor buys majority stake
QualitySolicitors has received a major cash injection that will accelerate the nationwide expansion of its brand, after private equity house Palamon Capital Partners took a majority stake. The plan is to have over 1,000 branches by the end of next year.
Blog
Listening, learning and leading The Solicitor’s Charity with care
As I prepare to hand over the mantle of chair of The Solicitor’s Charity next month, it doesn’t feel like an end. Instead, it feels like a wonderful journey.
Is competition in the legal sector stifling innovation?
As the legal sector’s competitive landscape continues to evolve, Nobel laureates remind us that innovation is not inevitable,and that competition may not always be an incentive to innovate.
What high-performing consumer claims firms get right
Recurring concerns about parts of the volume claims sector show that the gap between well-run firms and those struggling to manage volume effectively is widening.
