Practice Management
Big firms “burning through” the little cash they have
Many of the country’s largest law firms are unprepared for the rate at which they are burning through cash during the Covid-19 pandemic, a review of their accounts has revealed.
“My friend’s name is Sidley” – Domain hijack bid fails
A man who claimed to have registered the domain name ‘sidleylawyers.co.uk’ on behalf of a friend called Sidley who was about to qualify has been ordered to hand it over to US giant Sidley Austin.
ASA upholds legal training company’s complaint about competitor
A company that trains foreign lawyers to qualify as solicitors has successfully complained about a competitor that claimed to be the number one provider.
Legal project management “needs common standards”
Legal project management has received an unexpected boost from people working from home as a result of Covid-19 but law firms are keen on formal standards for it, according to a study.
SRA allows trainees to qualify before completing PSC
Trainee solicitors will be able to qualify without first completing the professional skills course because of the Covid-19 outbreak, the Solicitors Regulation Authority has decided.
EHRC warning on use of video hearings in criminal cases
The Equality and Human Rights Commission has called on the government to take action to reduce the risk of disabled people being wrongly convicted because of video hearings in criminal cases.
McFarlane: Remote hearing on future of child a step too far
It is not appropriate for a 15-day hearing into whether a mother has harmed her seven-year-old daughter to be held remotely, the president of the Family Court has ruled.
Investment for legal apps amid call for government support
Legal tech continues to attract investment, with money for a new wills app and the more established The Link App, but it must be able to benefit from a new coronavirus support package for tech companies.
Tax schemes “discourage investment” in legal start-ups
Government schemes to help SME companies grow by offering investors tax relief exclude legal businesses and so constrict technological innovation in the market, it has been claimed.
LeO weighs using big data to aid decision-making
The Legal Ombudsman is exploring whether to use big data and machine learning technology to suggest outcomes and make recommendations in resolving complaints about lawyers.
Blog
Why good governance matters when managing Law Society forms
Everyday legal transactions rely on Law Society forms. But they are often treated as static templates rather than what they really are: living documents that change over time.
A letter from the SRA? Your first reaction matters
An email from the SRA has a way of rearranging a working day. It arrives in the same inbox as everything else, often in the same measured tone, yet it carries a different weight.
Regulate sole practices on evidence, not turnover
For a sole practice, the SRA’s plan that I cannot hold a compliance role if my firm has more than £600,000 of turnover is not a measure of risk. It is a ceiling on growth.
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