Contingency fee agreements for unknown beneficiaries
When dealing with an intestacy matter, has your client ever opted to preference a contingency fee agreement for unknown beneficiaries? On the face of it, it’s a persuasive option – protect the amount due to those beneficiaries already known by avoiding direct research costs that won’t be deducted from the estate. So, who pays?
The rise of Lawtech
‘Lawtech’ is an increasingly used buzzword in the legal industry as more and more firms switch on to the potential it has. Not to mention the huge amount of investment that’s driving the industry forward at quite a pace! Financial backing has almost tripled over the past two years, with £62m being invested in Lawtech start-ups so far this year.
SRA’s new Standards and Regulations are here
The new SRA Standards and Regulations, referred to by some as STARs, have now come into full effect. Replacing the SRA Handbook, the SRA Standards and Regulations stipulate the behaviours, standards and requirements expected by solicitors and other SRA regulated people. Here is a brief outline of the changes under the new regulations.
Countdown to entry deadline for National Paralegal Awards!
As the entry deadline approaches, there is still time to submit your entry for the National Paralegal Awards 2020.
Greenland and our disappearing coast
Cottage owners on a famous stretch of Sussex coastline have put out a plea for £1m to pay for urgent sea defences before time runs out. The call comes as new surveys indicate the speed of Greenland’s ice sheet is melting faster than ever, with some of the most iconic UK coastal landscapes and communities under threat.
Sorry seems to be the hardest (and most expensive) word
One of the first lessons we teach children is that when you do something wrong, you have to say sorry. Perhaps inevitably, as we get older and the mistakes and their consequences get larger, the apologies become more difficult but also more meaningful. Nowhere more is this the case than in clinical negligence disputes.
The EU Whistleblowing Directive
In a recent webinar, I had the pleasure of interviewing Maria Mollica, the EU Commission’s Policy Officer, to discuss the upcoming EU Directive on Whistleblowing. Maria has been heavily involved in writing the new EU Whistleblowing Directive. The directive is expected to be in force by the end of 2021.
NLIS celebrate 25 million electronic conveyancing searches
Milestone demonstrates NLIS leading position in the electronic authoritative conveyancing searches market.
