Legal Services Act
Chambers giving notice on leases in wake of Covid
Barristers may be keen to get back to work but they are not going back to chambers, and nearly a third of sets have given or are considering giving partial notice on their leases.
Judge loses race discrimination claim over litigant’s complaint
A judge has failed in his claim that he suffered discrimination, harassment and victimisation due to his race over how a complaint against him by a litigant was dealt with.
Quindell saga rumbles on with claim against PwC
The company formerly known as Quindell has served a £63m claim against accountancy firm PwC for allegedly using confidential information to reduce the amount Slater & Gordon paid.
Covid fall-out could lead to rush of law firm start-ups
The Covid-19 pandemic may reverse the trend towards consolidation in the SME legal market, with start-ups emerging as effective competition, according to the former boss of Cartwright King.
Hedge fund-backed debt business launches ambitious ABS
An alternative business structure has been launched by a hedge fund-backed business that finances commercial debt recovery litigation, with ambitious plans for expansion.
Ince Group values brand at £17m as turnover soars
Listed law firm Ince Group has had its brand valued at £17m, it announced yesterday as it unveiled turnover up 87% to £98.5m, reflecting the full impact of the acquisition of Ince & Co.
MPs fear firms, chambers and law centres collapsing
MPs have expressed concern that law firms, chambers and law centres may collapse because of the impact of Covid-19, and that lawyers from BAME and state-school backgrounds will be badly hit.
Unregulated firms should have access to regulatory sandboxes
Legal regulators should allow unregulated firms to test their ideas in regulatory sandboxes set up to foster innovation, the Legal Services Consumer Panel has said.
TV personalities withdraw libel claim against barrister
TV personalities Rachel Riley and Tracy-Ann Oberman have withdrawn their defamation claim against a London barrister who retweeted an article about them.
Delays spiral and case closures plummet at LeO
The Legal Ombudsman is taking five months just to pass any new complaints to an investigator as it struggles to cope with the impact of Covid-19.
Solicitors bullish about future but doubtful about clients’ prospects
Solicitors are generally bullish about the future, despite nearly one in four believing Covid-19 will harm their clients’ prospects and many predicting lower demand for legal services.
Now MP targets Herbert Smith over Post Office work
An MP has urged select committees to investigate the role of law firms – and in particular Herbert Smith Freehills – in helping client companies accused of wrongdoing set up compensation schemes.
Circuit poll: Barristers set to quit if court hours are extended
Some 55% barristers would consider leaving the Bar if the courts adopt extended operating hours and they could set back female barristers’ progress by 50 years, research has found.
“Sharing the wealth” – Firm donates all profits to charity
Corporate law firm Aria Grace Law has pledged to give all of its profits to charity and other good causes forever as part of a commitment to “share the wealth between clients, lawyers and society”.
“Our goodwill has run dry” – hundreds to refuse out-of-hours hearings
Hundreds of crime lawyers have issued public refusals to attend hearings in evenings or at weekends as new figures show that backlogs in courts and tribunals were growing even before the coronavirus.
Blog
Legal director: an alternative to partnership
Firms are increasingly acknowledging the need for alternative senior roles – positions that offer influence and recognition without the obligations of ownership.
It’s time for law firms to ask tougher questions
For years, many law firms have treated ID verification as a box-ticking exercise. Run a liveness check, match a face to a document and move on. But that is no longer good enough.
Business fatigue to AI will risk job security
Whilst we know professional learning has always been part of career paths, to hire, retain and keep talent, AI needs to be embedded as a core part of this training.
