Practice Management
City giant throws weight behind domestic abuse helpline
City giant Hogan Lovells has endorsed the launch of a charity’s government-backed advice line to help employers support staff experiencing or at risk of domestic abuse.
Firm fined for secretly charging clients to repay loan
A law firm which surcharged more than 2,000 clients to help repay the loan it took out for a new case management system has been fined £30,000 by the Solicitors Regulation Authority.
Metamorph leads way in autumn merger rush
Law firm consolidator Metamorph has unveiled its latest acquisition as one of a slew of mergers and acquisitions that has been announced. Insurance renewal season usually sees activity increase.
Firm’s accounts spoiled by joint venture ABS collapse
Lyons Davidson has had a good-looking year spoiled by the collapse of its joint venture with NAHL plc, meaning that it has posted a £2.8m loss for the last financial year.
Law firms must aim for “cultural equality”, says Post Office GC
Law firms and in-house teams have done “tremendous work” in improving their approach to diversity and inclusion and should now aim for “cultural equality”, a leading general counsel has said.
Law firms cheered by U-shaped recovery
Law firms have seen a U-shaped recovery – and in some work-types, V-shaped – “rather than a dreaded L-type situation where things stay down in the dumps for a long period of time”.
Law firm referral network weathers virus shock
West Midlands referral network Hub.Legal has reported that referrals of work from its 125 member firms have recovered to their pre-Covid level – but several are looking to merge.
Former partner faces £230,000 director’s loan account claim
A former equity partner in a two-partner North-East law firm faces a claim to repay his overdrawn director’s loan account of nearly £230,000 as the fall-out from its acrimonious split continues.
Consumers “more likely to both shop around and complain”
Consumers of legal services are more likely to shop around and to make a formal complaint if they do not get what they want than in previous years, new research has found.
Covid fall-out could lead to rush of law firm start-ups
The Covid-19 pandemic may reverse the trend towards consolidation in the SME legal market, with start-ups emerging as effective competition, according to the former boss of Cartwright King.
Blog
AI in family law – drawing the line for clients and lawyers
AI is becoming increasingly intertwined with family law. Clients are using it to draft initial enquiries, prepare statements and, in some cases, to support themselves as litigants in person.
Why AI and leadership choices will define law firm profitability in 2026
Despite rapid advances in legal technology, the future of law will not be determined by software alone. It will be shaped by leadership decisions.
Legal director: an alternative to partnership
Firms are increasingly acknowledging the need for alternative senior roles – positions that offer influence and recognition without the obligations of ownership.
