Client care

A third of consumers are now accessing legal services online while telephone-based services are declining, new research has found. However, the proportion shopping around is still relatively low.

A large majority (77%) of consumers are more likely to use law firms that publish their fees online, a major survey has found. A smaller majority (58%) would be prepared to use freelance solicitors.

A solicitor has failed in a libel action against the consultant of another law firm over comments made about her and her practice on Facebook.

Solicitors must think beyond the drafting of non-disclosure agreements and confidentiality agreements to the “impression created” by them, a panel of experts has warned.

More than 40 leading property developers and freeholders – but no lawyers as yet – have signed a government-backed pledge that highlights the duty of conveyancers to act in the best interests of clients.

The clock on a possible ban on referral fees from lawyers to estate agents has started running after new guidance on disclosure was published by National Trading Standards.

Solicitors at smaller firms believe that clients’ focus on price is compromising their work and even their ability to uphold the law, a survey has suggested.

New rules requiring estate agents to be transparent about referral fees received from conveyancers will have a year to prove themselves or a ban will be back on the table, the housing minister has said.

An artificial intelligence-backed platform designed to elicit key information from new law firm clients and put them at their ease has launched in the UK, initially targeted at family law practices.

Law firms are still underperforming when dealing with potential clients on the telephone rather than face-to-face, a mystery shopping survey has found.