Market monitor

HB Public Law, the shared legal service set up by Harrow and Barnet Councils, has been granted an alternative business structure licence by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA).

Slater & Gordon has announced UK revenues of just over £100m for its last financial year, and indicated that further acquisitions are to come in the coming 12 months.

The Solicitors Regulation Authority has finally licensed the first local authority alternative business structure (ABS), after approving the collaborative law firm set up by two Buckinghamshire local authority legal teams, Legal Futures can reveal.

Alternative business structure Quindell plc sought to halt yet another run on its shares yesterday by issuing its second trading update in little over three weeks.

A young solicitor entrepreneur is seeking crowdfunding for an online documents business that will offer instant contracts via a mobile app and alert customers by e-mail to relevant law changes.

The Canadian futurologist who wrote a key report on ‘agile working’ in the legal profession, has issued a blueprint for law firm associates who aim to strike out on their own.

Clinical negligence outsourcer 5R1 has announced its intention to become the first in its field to obtain alternative business structure (ABS) status. It currently operates as a claims management company, regulated by the Ministry of Justice.

The Institute of Professional Willwriters has won approval for a unique alternative business structure that will enable its members and others to access related legal services for their clients, and share in the fees generated.

The “top three winners” from personal injury market consolidation will be Slater & Gordon, Irwin Mitchell and Minster Law, a leading defendant insurer has predicted.

QualitySolicitors is to launch its ‘QS Price Promise’ in September, combined with a national TV advertising campaign, the network has revealed. It is also changing its approach to firms having to adopt the QS name.

Strong performance from its legal services arm boosted a trading update from Quindell plc, which it turn began to pull the alternative business structure out of the doldrums yesterday, with its share price shooting up 30% in the day.

Newtons, a rapidly expanding Yorkshire firm, is setting its sights on new offices in the south of England after appointing a former chairman of Cartridge World as a non-executive director.

The announcement yesterday that Alastair Cook has become a brand ambassador for Slater & Gordon failed to spark a turnaround in the embattled England cricket captain’s fortunes, as he was out for just five in the first Test against India.

Minster Law, the alternative business structure owned by financial services business BGL Group, has moved into travel claims after securing another major hire from Pannone, now part of Slater & Gordon.

Distinguished Chancery set Radcliffe Chambers has brought in a past chair of the Association of Women Solicitors as its chief executive, in the latest sign of chambers recognising the need for fresh thinking in how they operate.