Regulation
Move to allow Scottish law firms to access external investment
Scottish law firms should be allowed to accept external investment, while the title of ‘lawyer’ should be protected, the Scottish government has indicated.
LSB agrees to limit price transparency to public access barristers
The Legal Services Board has approved Bar Standards Board plans which will require public access barristers, but not other self-employed barristers, to publish fees for routine legal services on their websites.
Solicitor took £2m of client money in pursuit of “lottery win”
A former senior partner who plundered £2m from his firm’s client accounts as well as both private and charitable trusts after falling victim to a lottery scam has been thrown out of the profession.
Regulator considers cap on fees charged by personal injury CMCs
The Financial Conduct Authority is to explore whether to use its power to cap the fees charged by personal injury claims management companies, it has emerged.
Exclusive: Unregulated virtual firm granted SRA waiver
An unregulated version of a ‘dispersed’ or ‘virtual’ law firm has been granted a waiver by the SRA so that its solicitors can practise under their professional titles, Legal Futures can reveal.
PII reform views “evolving” due to market changes
There are powerful reasons why the SRA and Law Society could reverse their positions respectively in favour of and against reform of professional indemnity insurance, it has been claimed.
SRA chair pledges greater transparency – but not to reopen meetings
The chair of the Solicitors Regulation Authority has set out plans for its board to work in an open and “accountable” way – but its board meetings remain closed to outside scrutiny.
Tory debate solicitor suspended for tweet “was being sarcastic”
A solicitor at the centre of a row after asking a question on Tuesday’s BBC debate between the prospective leaders of the Conservative Party has tried to defuse the situation following his suspension.
High Court issues indefinite litigation ban to vexatious ex-solicitor
The High Court has put a permanent stop to years of vexatious litigation pursued by a struck-off solicitor against the Law Society, Bar Council, senior judges and many others.
CMA’s Scotland probe highlights legal regulation reform priorities
The Competition and Markets Authority has hammered home its message of where legal services regulation needs to change as it begins a probe of the Scottish legal services market.
Blog
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.
Is competition in the legal sector stifling innovation?
As the legal sector’s competitive landscape continues to evolve, Nobel laureates remind us that innovation is not inevitable,and that competition may not always be an incentive to innovate.
