Practice Management
Lawyers “not listening” to ethnic minority clients
Many ethnic minority consumers of legal services do not feel they are being listened to or understood by their lawyers, research for the Legal Services Consumers Panel has found.
Law firms “frustrated by clients” over alternative fee models
Leaders of international law firms are frustrated by a “perceived unwillingness” on the part of existing clients to move from traditional billing and hourly rates to alternative fee models.
Balancing profit with purpose: Brabners becomes largest law firm B Corp
North-west practice Brabners has become the largest – and only the third– UK law firm with B Corporation status, meaning it has committed to balancing profit with purpose.
Law firm’s “courageous conversations” help staff discuss taboo issues
A national law firm has developed an initiative called ‘Courageous Conversations’ to help staff discuss taboo issues such as menopause, mental health, disability and discrimination.
Hybrid working disconnect between fee-earners and support staff
Too many law firms have different and disconnected hybrid working arrangements for fee-earning and support staff, meaning lawyers end up undertaking more administrative tasks.
Big law firms failing to provide “modern digital experience”
The largest law firms are failing to provide a modern digital experience for visitors to their websites, with 86 of the top 100 global practices lacking effective websites.
Solicitor pioneer of four-day working week extols virtues
The boss of a law firm that was one of the first businesses in the world to adopt a four-day working week has set out how it reduced unplanned absences and staff turnover significantly.
Pandemic has created new norm of “constant work” – and more errors
The shift to home working in the pandemic has created a “new norm” in which the “lack of boundaries” has left lawyers facing a “constant cycle of work”, a leading KC has said.
Quarter of lawyers could work at fee-share firms “within three years”
Up to a quarter of lawyers could work at fee-share alternative law firms within the next three years at current rates of growth, a detailed analysis has predicted.
SRA: Sudden spike in number of law firms facing financial difficulties
There has been a sudden spike in the number of law firms of all sizes reporting to the Solicitors Regulation Authority that they are facing financial problems, it has emerged.
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.
