Practice Management
Three-quarters of law firms experience drop in demand
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.
Tribunal makes protective awards to staff of defunct Newcastle firm
The employment tribunal has issued protective awards in favour of 13 former employees of Newcastle firm Short Richardson & Forth for failing to consult over their redundancies.
ABS platform now hosts five firms after latest acquisition
Law firm platform Bamboo has acquired Midlands-based Hawkins Hatton, making it the fifth practice operating through its umbrella alternative business structure.
Rising PII premium helped put paid to Liverpool claims firm
A number of adverse costs awards against Liverpool law firm High Street Solicitors pushed its insurance premiums up and contributed to its collapse, administrators have revealed.
Economic uncertainty “taking its toll” on lawyers
The state of the economy is “taking its toll” on lawyers, with 84% saying economic volatility and a “looming recession” are affecting their mental health, a report has found.
PII premiums rises to be lower than last year, says Law Society research
Professional indemnity insurance premiums will rise again this year but by less than in 2022, when it was 12% across the market, Law Society research has predicted.
City practice is first law firm to obtain ISO diversity certification
City firm CMS UK has become the first law firm to be awarded the new ISO 30415 diversity and inclusion certification, helping it to measure progress and decide what to focus on.
Fee-share firm to give retiring partners 10% of clients’ fees for life
A groundbreaking fee-share practice is to pay retiring lawyers 10% of the fees generated from their former clients for the rest of their lives and then their families once they die.
Two-thirds of large law firms researching generative AI
Nearly two-thirds (64%) of large law firms in the UK are exploring the potential of generative artificial intelligence (AI), along with around a third of smaller firms, a report has found.
£1.8m grant to help SME law firms “make sense” of tech market
A project to help around 60 SME law firms navigate a “confusing” market and adopt digital technology has been launched with £1.8m in government funding.
Blog
The SRA needs to admit it got it wrong about SLAPPs
The High Court judgment in Ashley Hurst v SRA in January raises serious questions about the regulator’s approach to allegations of SLAPP-like behaviour.
Why menopause support belongs on every law firm’s agenda
Progression in the law slows significantly as women approach senior leadership. Most will be at the height of their careers around the average age menopause symptoms begin.
Law firms need to go beyond document checks
At the root of every failed compliance review is a familiar phrase: a calm assertion of “but we did a document check”.
