Practice Management

Many SME law firms feel optimistic about their financial performance this year even though staffing costs are set to rise quicker than fee rates, according to new research.

Lawyers are facing beefed-up rules on dealing with complaints, and the prospect of how quickly they handle them being made public, under proposals published yesterday.

The proportion of lawyers actively seeking a new job fell for the third consecutive year to 10%, according to new research, although 45% described themselves as ‘passive’ jobseekers.

The administrators’ report into the collapse in June of the Law Direct group has highlighted how hard it is to build a law firm consolidator, as problems with integration led to cash flow difficulties.

The end appears nigh for Axiom Ince, with the law firm admitting that it has stopped taking new instructions and will “likely be unable to continue in its current format”.

Slater & Gordon has struck a £33m funding deal with litigation funder Harbour to help build its personal injury and clinical negligence practices.

Workplace culture is the main reason that professional women leave their jobs and not personal issues such as the menopause or caring responsibilities, a study has concluded.

The Information Commissioner’s Office has reprimanded a law firm after a cyber-attack led to a data breach and four fraudulent payments being made on a probate matter.

Junior lawyers “find it harder to concentrate” during virtual training sessions than their more senior colleagues, while partners felt they were not getting enough time with juniors.

Three-quarters of law firms have experienced a drop in demand for legal services over the past 12 months and the same proportion expect the decline to go on for another year.