Legal Services Act

Legal expenses insurer DAS has finally secured the law firm acquisition that will kickstart its bid to become one of the UK’s top legal services providers. DAS, which is owned by German insurance giant Munich Re, has bought Bristol law firm CW Law.

The number of qualified solicitors in private practice fell last year for the first time since records began. A new legal service market assessment by the Law Society also warned that that a small number of successful ABSs could radically reshape the market for high street legal services.

A company that specialises in helping wealthy business people from Russia and Eastern Europe relocate to London has acquired an alternative business structure licence in order to add legal services to its business services portfolio.

The Legal Services Board yesterday put the seal of approval on the SRA’s plans to regulate the referral fee ban. The news came as the Law Society pressed the LSB to provide reassurance that the way referral fees are regulated will be consistent across the entire legal profession.

A personal injury law firm has launched a co-operative group marketing scheme based on a TV advertising campaign potentially worth up to £2m. eLawyers aims to build regional panels of firms who will receive exclusive leads by area of legal specialism.

Two law firms have made significant moves to align themselves with the insurance sector as the end of referral fees edges closer. Goldsmith Williams and Plexus Law have announced product launches as the race to be ready for the civil justice reforms gathers pace.

The Legal Services Board has overstepped its bounds, distorted the Legal Services Act’s regulatory balance, aligned itself too closely with the government, and intervened in matters beyond its competence, the Solicitors Regulation Authority has charged.

A leading media law firm and a regional practice seeking minority external ownership to drive an acquisition strategy are among the latest alternative business structure approvals as the number of licences issued by the Solicitors Regulation Authority tops 100.

BT’s new legal arm will have more than 100 staff once it is at full strength, its head of legal practice has revealed. Miles Jobling also expressed strong confidence that it would prove an attractive service to those seeking volume services.

The Bar Council has renewed its assault on the Legal Services Board by questioning its decision to spend thousands on academic research into the cab rank rule and intervening in the Prudential case – which it said was proof of “mission creep”.

Global communications company BT has been awarded an alternative business structure license from the Solicitors Regulation Authority to launch BT Law Ltd. It will provide legal services to corporate customers, initially in the motor claims market, but with an eye to expanding into other areas.

The Law Society and consumer groups are to blame for the Legal Ombudsman dropping its ‘two free complaints a year’ offer, the chief ombudsman has explained. Meanwhile, allowing complaints from people who are not clients will not be an extra burden on the profession, he pledged.

Legal expenses insurer and alternative business structure Abbey Protection plc has acquired Manchester commercial law firm Lewis Hymanson Small, completing a three-pronged strategy to expand its services to the SME market.

All legal services providers should undertake and publish equal pay audits, the Legal Services Board (LSB) has suggested – this would ideally be voluntary, “but only if it results in the changes needed”. It came in an LSB review of the evidence on equal pay.

Slater & Gordon is set to grow its UK business after it announced its first half-year results since the takeover of Russell Jones & Walker. The listed Australian firm – now an ABS in England and Wales – posted a 46.5% increase in its revenue for the last six months of 2012.