Market monitor

An innovative London-based business law network is targeting employment law in a bid to expand its global client base. Transatlantic Law International (TALI) has member firms in 80 countries around the world, with Reading firm Boyes Turner its English representative.

Over-50s specialist Saga has today been granted an alternative business structure (ABS) licence to launch a joint venture law firm with fellow ABS Parabis Law. It aims to rebalance a market that “appears to be stacked in favour of the provider rather than the consumer”.

The AA will next month launch its own law firm after being granted an alternative business structure licence by the Solicitors Regulation Authority. AA Law will start trading on 1 December as a joint venture between the motoring giant and national firm Lyons Davidson

Many of the UK’s leading law firms need to “radically” restructure this businesses if they are to survive, PwC warned today. It also revealed that almost a quarter of the top 100 have reported material rule breaches to the Solicitors Regulation Authority this year.

Personal injury lawyers in small and medium-sized firms are akin to climate change deniers by not recognising how their market has changed or planning for the future, a survey published this week has claimed.

Not many solicitors’ firms have a corporate helicopter available for use by favoured clients to entertain their own customers, piloted by the multi-millionaire owner. Or a gym. Or a hotel. Welcome to Kidwells Law Solicitors, a new alternative business structure.

Keystone Law – the pioneering dispersed law firm – has marked its formal conversion to alternative business structure status by announcing that it is to take its model to Australia. Keystone has more than 130 senior lawyers working from home.

The number of alternative business structures (ABSs) licensed by the Solicitors Regulation Authority hit 200 yesterday, but the first ABS liquidation and first licence revocation have tempered any celebrations.

The launch of Riverview Law last year generated “shock, confusion and resentment” at a rival chambers whose membership supplied four of the new venture’s initial 12 QCs, but in the end it helped the set adapt to the new legal market, according to its commercial director.

Four leading Manchester personal injury firms have joined forces to build a seven-figure war chest that will buy out practices wanting to exit the sector. Pi Gateway claims already to have nine transactions under consideration.

Artesian Law, the barrister-led legal disciplinary practice, is set to double in size after 18 months in business by actively recruiting associate members in order to expand beyond its mainstay of criminal legal aid work.

Slater & Gordon has announced the acquisition of a well-known northern legal practice – but not the one everyone was expecting. There was no mention of the talks to buy the consumer practice of Pannone at its AGM today.

Ascent, the specialist debt alternative business structure that is part of the Irwin Mitchell Group, has outlined plans to more than double its turnover in the next three years. The Manchester-based firm has appointed two new chief operating officers to help drive the growth.

Most aspects of legal services can be delivered nationally and there is still significant potential for big brands to come in and provide large scale, lower cost services, according to a major report into competition in the solicitors’ market.

A Leicester cooperative law firm that offers life coaching in addition to legal services, has obtained an alternative business structure (ABS) licence in order to develop its training arm. Kinetic Law Services Limited is the 199th ABS approved by the SRA.