Legal Services Act
Conveyancing groups issue contract variation guidance
Organisations representing conveyancers have joined forces to issue guidance on handling matters during the coronavirus pandemic, including how to vary completion dates.
Barristers urged to join Covid-19 pro bono panel
National chambers Clerksroom is rallying barristers to volunteer for a new pro bono scheme to help keyworkers and struggling businesses affected by the coronavirus pandemic obtain legal advice.
DWF seeks extra “headroom” from lenders
DWF – the world’s largest listed law firm – is to seek more “headroom” from its lenders as a precaution to help deal with the impact of the coronavirus pandemic.
Government tells conveyancers to delay completions
Conveyancers should continue to support the sales process “as far as possible” but look to change dates of completion during the lockdown, the government said yesterday.
Opinions split on SRA’s centralised higher rights test
Plans by the Solicitors Regulation Authority to introduce a centralised test for solicitors wanting higher rights of audience have divided opinions among organisations and individual solicitors.
Knights cuts staff pay as Ince cancels dividend
National firm Knights is to cut the salaries of all staff earning over £30,000 and has started a redundancy exercise, while fellow listed law firm Ince has cancelled its dividend payout.
Conveyancing: Government urges home movers to delay
The government has urged home buyers and renters to delay moving to a new house if possible during the coronavirus lockdown and said there must be social distancing if they cannot.
Calls to protect criminal solicitors, pupils and LPC students
Criminal defence solicitors have threatened to stop attending police stations and a protocol to protect pupil barristers was published among efforts to protect the profession during the pandemic.
Gateley ditches dividend payout to protect liquidity
Listed law firm Gateley yesterday cancelled a dividend payout to ensure its short-term liquidity in the face of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Lord Chancellor praises lawyers’ “heroic” efforts
The Lord Chancellor Robert Buckland yesterday praised lawyers for their “heroic efforts” in trying to keep trials going, but said the government was being criticised too harshly.
Time for Scotland to embrace ABSs, says watchdog
The Competition and Markets Authority has called for alternative business structures to be allowed in Scotland, and for a shift to the independent regulation of lawyers.
Circuit leader tells barristers not to attend court today
The leader of the North Eastern Circuit has urged his members not to attend any court hearings today in the wake of the government’s decision last night to lock down the UK.
Legal aid fraud trial stopped as barristers self-isolate
The trial of nine lawyers over an alleged plot to scam £11m from the legal aid system was abandoned last Friday after several counsel withdrew to self-isolate.
MPs back Davies as new Legal Ombudsman chair
MPs on the justice select committee have endorsed the appointment of Elisabeth Davies as chair of the Office for Legal Complaints, the board that oversees the Legal Ombudsman.
Consumer panel urges more fixed fees and SRA fining powers
More use of fixed fees and an increase in the Solicitors Regulation Authority’s fining powers are among recommendations made today by the Legal Services Consumer Panel.
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.
