News
Complaints-handling in good state for OLC to take over, says ombudsman
The performance of the Legal Complaints Service (LCS) will provide a solid foundation from which the Office for Legal Complaints (OLC) can build, the Legal Services Ombudsman said today.
Revealed: Law Society report to conclude that ABSs will not damage access to justice
Alternative business structures (ABSs) are unlikely to create a “serious adverse impact” on access to justice, research conducted for the Law Society is to conclude.
Exclusive: Law Society approves £22m outlay on new SRA IT system
The Law Society has approved a £22m outlay on a new IT system for the Solicitors Regulation Authority that will hit solicitors in their practising certificate fees, Legal Futures can reveal.
LSB and OLC chiefs on quango top-earners list
The heads of both the Legal Services Board (LSB) and Office for Legal Complaints (OLC) are in the list of those working at quangos who earn more than £150,000, which was released by the Cabinet Office today.
Basic instincts
This week’s Question of Ethics from the Solicitors Regulation Authority looks at whether you should take any action when representing a divorce client who has had a sexual relationship with her husband’s solicitor.
ABSs and conveyancing: a potent mix
For tech-savvy firms, alternative business structures will highlight the power of partnerships within the conveyancing sector, says David Kempster, marketing director at MDA SearchFlow.
Exclusive: SRA axes insurers’ obligation to cover solicitors’ costs in disciplinary cases
Professional indemnity insurers will no longer have to pay the defence costs of solicitors facing disciplinary proceedings, bolstering the case for a legal defence union, Legal Futures can reveal.
Conveyancers not diversifying despite growing competition
High street conveyancers are not comfortable about diversifying into other areas of practice, research has found. Some 60% were wary of moving into fields such as litigation and probate.
India dominates LPO, but UK backing will help South Africa
India remains the top destination for legal process outsourcing (LPO), according to research by leading LPO consultancy Fronterion.
Blog
The evolving standard: AI and professional negligence
AI creates an obvious professional negligence risk. Using it carelessly may fall below the standard of reasonable skill and care. As may failing to use it, in certain circumstances.
The ongoing rise and challenge of housing disrepair in council properties
Britain’s housing disrepair crisis has quietly evolved into one of the most consequential legal and political issues facing the country’s social housing sector.
Source of funds is where AML really gets tested
It’s a familiar story: a PDF of a bank statement lands in your inbox, your client leaves a cursory note explaining what some of the transactions mean, and you close the file.
