Law firm leaders expecting market consolidation in 2021
There are “high expectations” among law firm leaders of consolidation in the legal services market during 2021 and beyond, research has found – although there is often little strategy behind deals.
Report highlights post-lockdown recovery in family and private client work
Demand for family and private client services recovered in the second quarter of this year as the impact of the first national lockdown began to take effect, research has found.
Law Society: Race inclusion in profession not improving quickly enough
Actions to improve race inclusion in the solicitors’ profession are not delivering change quickly enough, Law Society research has found, highlighting a significant ethnicity pay gap and the need for targets.
Council had no right to oppose solicitor’s attendance at mediation
The High Court has dismissed a council’s objection to the mother of a child with special educational needs bringing a lawyer with them to a mediation, saying it was none of their business.
Alternative legal providers “impressing clients” with technology
Alternative legal services providers “lag behind the leading law firms by quite a margin” in Europe, but their use of technology is “impressing clients”, a report has found.
3,000 law firms “could be forced to close or merge”
As many as 3,000 law firms could be forced to close or merge over the next few years after the conveyancing bubble bursts and the recession really kicks in, a leading law firm consultant has warned.
Litigant in person threatened opposing lawyers with violence
A High Court judge has expressed concern that a litigant in person has threatened violence against lawyers for the people he is suing while dismissing a bid to disqualify the solicitors from acting.
Five businesses chosen for ‘lawtech sandbox’ pilot
Five lawtech businesses are to join a ‘sandbox’ designed to “fast-track transformative ideas, products and services” with the help of legal and financial regulators.
Augmented lawyering: The challenge of AI is people, not money
The challenge facing traditional law firms from artificial intelligence is not a lack of finance to invest in technology but having the right “human capital”, a study from Oxford University has argued.
No-comment barrister reprimanded for breath test refusal
A barrister convicted of refusing to undergo breath tests when suspected of drink driving has been reprimanded by a tribunal, which criticised him for giving a no-comment interview to police.
