Regulator cracks down on unauthorised holiday sickness CMCs as cold-calling ban reaches Commons
There has been a “significant decrease” in unauthorised businesses operating in the holiday sickness market, the Claims Management Regulator has reported. It comes as MPs debate the government’s surprise u-turn late last year to legislate for a ban on cold-calling.
Lack of jurisdiction ends former Simmons & Simmons partner’s discrimination claim
An employment tribunal has rejected claims of race and sex discrimination by a former equity partner of leading City firm Simmons & Simmons because the events complained of took place in Paris and so outside of its jurisdiction.
More accountants target legal work after ACCA is approved to regulate probate
The Association of Chartered Certified Accountants was yesterday given the green light to regulate its members in handling probate work. Approving the regulatory scheme it is putting in place, the Legal Services Board said ACCA members would make a “positive contribution” to the legal market.
Digital court services “already starting to deliver”
The courts service is already seeing benefits from the early stages of the digital delivery of justice, it said yesterday as it outlined its plans for further rationalisation of the physical court estate. The proposals included the potential closure of eight courts, including Blackfriars Crown Court, which was meant to be one of venues for the flexible operating hours pilot.
Ombudsman faces shortfall after unexpected rise in complaints
Solicitors have demanded to know how the Legal Ombudsman intends to reduce the cost of its work to an all-time low at the same time that it is seeking extra funds to deal with an unexpected rise in complaints. Meanwhile, the Bar has urged LeO to investigate the reason behind a drop in the confidence lawyers have in the service.
Licensed conveyancers confident about growth in coming year, survey finds
More than half of firms of licensed conveyancers expect their workloads to increase over the next year, according to their regulator. Some 53% of firms expected volumes of work to increase over the next year, with only 10% anticipating a fall.
Groundbreakers: CILEx firm aims to train solicitors as BSB firm takes on pupil
A law firm regulated by the Chartered Institute of Legal Executives is aiming to supervise the training of solicitors in what is understood to be the first move of its kind. In a separate development, a law firm regulated by the Bar Standards Board has started a pupillage scheme, in what might well also be a first.
Second accountancy body seeks right to allow members to do probate work
The Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) is set to become the second accountancy body that enables its members – 90,000 of them in the UK – to provide probate services. If approved by the Legal Services Board, it will follow the lead of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales.
Male clients biased against female lawyers, research finds
Male clients were half as likely as their female counterparts to nominate women for a place in a global guide to star lawyers, despite the fact they rated the performance by women lawyers as equal or better. The company behind the findings said male bias among made it harder for women lawyers to progress.
“Disconnect” between how firms assess and pay lawyers, report finds
There is a worrying “disconnect” between the factors that law firms consider most important in driving growth of their firms and the way their lawyers are paid, a report has found. The report found that firms were “telling their staff that client satisfaction and recovery rates are important, but will have no bearing on the staff’s remuneration”.
