Legal Services Act

The major quality marks used in the profession are becoming more credible, but many still have “a long way to go” before consumers can use them with confidence, a new assessment has concluded.

“Radical changes” to the authorisation and supervision of alternative business structures are on the cards after the Solicitors Regulation Authority expressed concern that the number of applications from multi-disciplinary practices has been “in the tens rather than hundreds”.

A blue-chip wealth management company has set up an alternative business structure (ABS) to add legal to its mix of services, and is also eyeing up potential acquisitions to boost its client base.

The Legal Ombudsman has revised its target costs for resolving complaints downwards for the next financial year, which if achieved would be almost 20% lower than a year ago.

The involvement of big brands like BT and KPMG is evidence that alternative business structures have the resources and expertise to encroach on the work done by larger law firms, a top banker has predicted.

The UK’s top law firms have become increasingly sceptical about listing on the stock market or taking on private equity investment, according to new research.

The legal challenge to the Quality Assurance Scheme for Advocates (QASA) is nearly at an end after the Court of Appeal refused permission to appeal the High Court decision that rejected it.

The prospect of the ‘big four’ accountants challenging the City status quo moved up another notch today after EY hired a senior lawyer to build a “legal capability” in the UK.

Irwin Mitchell has signalled its intention to grow “substantially” in the coming years after securing a £60m four-year finance package with three major UK banks. The deal also includes a £30m ‘accordion’ facility for further finance if required for a big transaction.

LexisNexis UK has been licensed by the Solicitors Regulation Authority as an alternative business structure (ABS) to launch a compliance business combining content, technology and advisory services.

There is no reason why you need a law firm to carry out many of the tasks that traditional firms have previously handled, the group general counsel of BT has warned. Dan Fitz also revealed that it was looking to expand the work handled by BT Law, the company’s ABS.

Senior civil servant Sir Michael Pitt will take over from David Edmonds as chairman of the Legal Services Board (LSB), it has been announced. Mr Pitt has no legal background and was chief executive of the Planning Inspectorate for three years from March 2011.

Small firms and sole practitioners may turn out to be the stars of the legal services revolution, according to a survey which this week claimed it has identified among them a new breed of successful and entrepreneurial lawyer.

Lawyers need to find new ways to differentiate themselves in an era when their professional titles will start to lose meaning for consumers, according to the chair of the Legal Services Consumer Panel.

The attitude of “some in positions of immense responsibility” in the legal profession represents a “direct threat” to an innovative future for legal services, the chairman of the Legal Services Board has claimed.