Covid-19 could herald reform of reserved legal activities
Changes to the list of reserved activities that only authorised lawyers can do has been floated as one way the ways legal regulation could be flexed to help the profession recover from the Covid-19 crisis.
Legal project management “needs common standards”
Legal project management has received an unexpected boost from people working from home as a result of Covid-19 but law firms are keen on formal standards for it, according to a study.
Exclusive: US legal giant sells its ABS to consolidator
US legal services giant LegalZoom has sold the Yorkshire law firm it bought more than four years ago to consolidator Metamorph, Legal Futures can reveal.
Solicitor “dipped into” divorce client’s funds
A solicitor who “dipped into” a divorce client’s money, repeatedly lied about it and warned her not to complain to the Solicitors Regulation Authority or Legal Ombudsman has been struck off.
SRA allows trainees to qualify before completing PSC
Trainee solicitors will be able to qualify without first completing the professional skills course because of the Covid-19 outbreak, the Solicitors Regulation Authority has decided.
EHRC warning on use of video hearings in criminal cases
The Equality and Human Rights Commission has called on the government to take action to reduce the risk of disabled people being wrongly convicted because of video hearings in criminal cases.
Young barristers spell out pandemic’s devastating financial toll
Young barristers are being especially badly hit by the coronavirus crisis and they are unlikely to get much help from the government’s self-employment income support scheme.
Coops boss sanctioned for frustrating SRA over Asons
The non-solicitor who headed up Coops Law – the successor practice to controversial personal injury law firm Asons – has been sanctioned for frustrating efforts to protect Asons’ clients.
New file openings crash but staff stepping up during crisis
Many law firms are seeing the number of new file openings crash as the lockdown continues, but leaders have reported how staff are really stepping up their efforts.
Conveyancers calls on government to extend furlough scheme
The furlough scheme should be extended for property businesses, like conveyancers, where income required to pay staff will not be available for months after work is undertaken once lockdown is lifted.
