Practice Management
Hodge Jones & Allen pioneers fixed-fee divorce arbitration service
London firm Hodge Jones & Allen has launched a fixed-fee arbitration service for divorcing couples in the wake of judicial support for such a move to keep costs down. The firm is encouraging more law firms to get on board.
Exclusive: “We will be biggest brand in UK,” says LegalZoom
US company LegalZoom today makes plain its ambitions for the UK market by saying there is “no question” that it will become the best-known legal brand on this side of the Atlantic.
Solicitors From Hell founder wins surprise High Court victory
He has been sued 18 times in relation to the website he founded, and lost each time, but now Rick Kordowski, the man behind SolicitorsFromHell.co.uk, has recorded an unexpected High Court win.
Do clients actually need face-to-face advice? Legal aid research suggests they often don’t
Users of the civil legal aid telephone gateway who sought face-to-face advice “often did so out of preference as opposed to need”, a review has suggested.
BSB turns to CILEx to train non-legal staff
The Bar Standards Board has turned to the Chartered Institute of Legal Executives to provide training to members of staff without legal qualifications. Meanwhile, ILEX Professional Standards – CILEx’s regulatory arm – is on the hunt for a new chief executive.
SRA rejects Law Society bid to extend indemnity run-off period by three years
The Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) has rejected a proposal by the Law Society to extend the additional indemnity run-off cover provided by the Solicitors Indemnity Fund (SIF) for a further three years until 2023.
Calls for government to invest in online dispute resolution as part of digital legal services push
The government should invest in online dispute resolution for small claims – but not until 2016 so lessons can be learnt from pioneering projects in Holland and Canada, a major report has advised. Meanwhile, Professor Richard Susskind has called for ODR to be explored “urgently”.
Tax man gives solicitors three months to come clean on undeclared income
HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) has opened up a three-month window for solicitors to own up to income they have not declared, or face tougher penalties if they are caught dodging tax.
Riverview launches separate tech business as it targets in-house with software products
Riverview Law is setting up a separate business which will own and exploit the technology built by the alternative business structure over the last three years. The first move has been for Riverview itself to launch a range of software modules targeted at in-house legal teams.
European Commission launches find-a-lawyer search engine – without England and Wales
The European Commission has launched today a new online find-a-lawyer search engine, enabling potential clients to find lawyers in 17 countries, including France, Germany, Spain, Italy and Scotland – but not England and Wales.
Blog
Our vision for 2026: A shared approach to AML
We want to see law firms start taking AML compliance as seriously as it deserves. This means treating it not as a tick-box exercise or a procedural necessity, but as a serious part of company culture.
Why later-life divorce requires a distinct professional framework
Later-life divorce, often described as ‘silver splitter’ or ‘grey divorce’ cases, is no longer a marginal feature of family law practice. It challenges long-standing assumptions about how divorce work is done.
Listening, learning and leading The Solicitor’s Charity with care
As I prepare to hand over the mantle of chair of The Solicitor’s Charity next month, it doesn’t feel like an end. Instead, it feels like a wonderful journey.
