Legal Services Board
At last – standard contractual terms between barristers and solicitors clear final hurdle
Standard contractual terms between solicitors and barristers are set to become a reality at long last after the Legal Services Board approved controversial changes to the cab-rank rule that will underpin them – albeit with some reluctance.
Confidential SRA research uncovers non-compliance and bad attitudes over complaints
There is a “small but material rate of non-compliance” by solicitors with their complaints-handling requirements – and some bad attitudes towards complaints – confidential research by the Solictors Regulation Authority has found.
LSB gives green light to groundbreaking Bar student aptitude test
The Legal Services Board has approved Bar Standards Board proposals to introduce an aptitude test for prospective Bar students. The test aims to weed out the bottom 10% of candidates.
High level of consumer satisfaction with legal services providers, says research
Satisfaction with legal services providers is high, major new research has found, with those using solicitors likely to get a better result than those who sought advice from other providers. But fewer than half of those with legal needs sought professional help.
LSB "putting too much weight" on solicitors' poor score in will-writing mystery shopping
Concerns over the standard of will-writing by solicitors are based on limited evidence and the Solicitors Regulation Authority should not have to prove its ability to regulate such work, the Law Society has claimed.
LSB gets clean bill of health but idea of ‘super regulator’ remains on the horizon
The Legal Services Board and Office for Legal Complaints were today given a clean bill of health by the government, although it acknowledged that in the long term transforming the LSB into a ‘super regulator’ is an option.
Law Society to be spared annual internal governance check – because it is bound to fail
The Law Society will not be required to certify its compliance with the rules on internal governance because it is bound to fail the test, the Legal Services Board has decided. The board said the new governance arrangements are “somewhat fragile”.
Version 4 of Handbook goes live as SRA promises no further COLP/COFA delay
The fourth edition of the SRA Handbook in less than 10 months was published yesterday. It includes the delay in the introduction of the compliance officer regime, and the SRA has guaranteed that there will be no further hold-ups.
Edmonds: LSB is interventionist and proud of it
The role of the Legal Services Board is to get involved and intervene – not to sit, watch and react – its chairman said yesterday, hitting back at critics of its activism. David Edmonds said the phrase “oversight regulator” does not appear in the Legal Services Act.
LSB calls on profession to engage with comparison websites and “will consider” accrediting them
The Legal Services Board has urged regulators and professional bodies to engage with comparison websites for the benefit of consumers, including providing access to their registers, Legal Futures can reveal.
News in brief: Quindell targets CMC aggregation, “charitable referral fees”, solicitor ad wins TV award
Our regular round-up of news snippets features another acquisition by ABS-in-waiting Quindell Portfolio, a solicitor’s TV ad winning a Royal Television Society award, a firm donating referral fees to charity, and ABS compensation fund arrangements.
LSB urges SRA to speed up review of “unsustainable” in-house lawyer rules
The Legal Services Board has told the Solicitors Regulation Authority that it needs to complete its review of in-house practice as soon as possible because the current regulatory arrangements are not sustainable.
Internet revolution “yet to reach legal services” as consumers cry out for better online help
The Internet revolution has “yet to reach legal services”, new Legal Services Board research has found, meaning consumers jump at the idea of an ‘official’ online resource to help them resolve their legal issues.
SRA and OISC make competing land-grabs for immigration work
The Solicitors Regulation Authority has launched a bid to regulate non-lawyer immigration advisers. However, at the same time the body that oversees them – the Office for the Immigration Services Commissioner – is seeking to take over the regulation of specialist lawyers.
Law firms to have extra year before publishing diversity data as LSB flags concerns over Bar exemptions
Law firms are to have an extra year before they must publish staff diversity data, after the Legal Services Board approved Solicitors Regulation Authority plans for a delay. But it was unhappy with the Bar Standards Board’s proposal to exempt chambers of fewer than 10 people.
Blog
Five golden links for a caring Christmas and New Year
This time of year always sharpens thoughts about how we look after and support elderly clients and those, elderly or otherwise, who find themselves in vulnerable circumstances.
Amplifying reach through employee-driven thought leadership
Nine in 10 executives believe thought leadership is critical to building authority, yet only a quarter feel they have implemented a robust strategy.
Divorce escrow: asset sales before final settlement
When significant matrimonial assets are sold before a final financial order is agreed, holding the proceeds safely and neutrally can present real practical challenges.
