Practice Management
New family law firm commits to four-day working week
The founder of a new family law firm has said she works a four-day week and will be recruiting staff to work in the same way. The “emotionally draining” nature of the work made it important.
Law firms not providing staff with the wellbeing support they want
Law firms are not responding to employees’ need for support with mental health and wellbeing, while those working flexibly are recording more hours than they did before the pandemic.
“Shambolic” solicitor suspended over disorderly closure of firm
A solicitor who ran his law firm in a “shambolic fashion”, taking on more than 100 new cases when it should have been in the process of closing down, has been suspended for three months.
Paralegal awarded £30k over pregnancy discrimination and low pay
A solicitor has been ordered to pay a paralegal over £30,000 after an employment tribunal found he discriminated against her once she became pregnant.
Huge scope for smaller law firms to improve ESG
There is huge scope for smaller law firms to improve their ESG performance, while all firms should have policies on which clients they will and will not work for.
Ask me anything – Allen & Overy adopts ChatGPT-style legal AI tool
Global law firm Allen & Overy has become the first law firm to adopt an AI assistant similar to ChatGPT to help speed up the work of more than 3,500 lawyers.
Six out of 10 lawyers “have experienced burn-out”
More than six out of 10 lawyers (62%) have experienced burn-out as a result of their work in the last year, a survey has found.
Top law firms invest in content marketing “which does not work”
A “significant proportion” of large law firms are investing in content or ‘inbound’ marketing schemes that “simply do not work as they should” and could even be damaging their reputation.
Fast-growing ABS expands again but this year’s focus is on profit
An alternative business structure which launched as a specialist conveyancing firm with three staff in March 2019 now has more than 100 in multiple practice areas as it opens a fifth office.
Recruitment “by far the biggest obstacle” to law firm growth
Recruitment is “by far the biggest obstacle” to the growth of law firms in 2023, with lawyers being “bombarded” with job offers, while addressing ESG is becoming more urgent.
Blog
The civil courts and the digital divide
Despite the government’s decision to increase Ministry of Justice funding, its budget for 2025-26 is still 14% lower in real terms than in 2007-08.
The Decent Homes Standard scandal
It is well established that the UK has the highest proportion of inadequate housing in all of Europe. But what if the heart of the problem is even worse than we think?
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.
