DWF weighing up £600m listing on stock exchange
Top-25 practice DWF is considering whether to become by far the largest law firm to list on the London Stock Exchange, it emerged today. The move would galvanise interest in law firms going public.
Negligent solicitors face damages rehearing after Court of Appeal ruling
The Court of Appeal has overturned a ruling that leading Welsh firm Hugh James did not have to pay a former client damages even though it had provided negligent advice. It is the latest in a long line of negligence cases to come out of the government’s miners’ compensation scheme.
ABS launches programme to retrain lawyers in commercial contracts work
Pioneering alternative business structure Riverview Law has launched a recruitment scheme for lawyers who want to retrain to handle commercial contract work. The first cohort of its ‘Legal Re-Train’ programme has taken in 10 solicitors from family law, personal injury, litigation, industrial disease and employment for a two-year training programme.
Claims management company loses appeal against £533,000 fine
A leading claims management company fined £533,000 for multiple rule breaches – including its sales agents calling banks pretending to be customers – has lost an appeal against the sanction. The tribunal heard the call of an employee telling his grandmother that the CMC had changed its working practices for a regulatory audit.
Law firms will have to publish certain prices, but not complaints data, SRA decides
Law firms will have to publish their prices for a range of consumer and business services, the Solicitors Regulation Authority has decided, but they will not have to put their complaints records in the public domain. It comes alongside research showing consumers particularly wanted information on price and quality before choosing a lawyer.
Ethical risks of using algorithms in justice system under spotlight as Law Society launches commission
Ethical, moral and legal risks from the growing use of algorithms are under the spotlight as the Law Society launches a public policy commission today on the impact of new technology on the justice system. One of the commissioners, said she was particularly concerned by the use of algorithms in the sensitive areas of divorce and employment law.
SRA completes Handbook rewrite by tempering plan to allow solicitors to set up shop on qualification
The Solicitors Regulation Authority has tempered its proposal to allow solicitors to set up their own law firms as soon as they qualify, as it unveiled the final wave of changes to its Handbook. This completes the two-year process of rewriting the handbook, which is set to be around 130 pages in total, more than 300 pages less than now.
Government makes some concessions on Civil Liability Bill but defeats bid to remove damages tariff
The government yesterday fought off efforts in the House of Lords led by former Lord Chief Justice Lord Woolf to remove the new compensation tariff that will govern whiplash injuries, although it has agreed that the Lord Chancellor should consult the Lord Chief Justice when setting it, in one of a series of relatively minor concessions.
PC fee frozen with Law Society budget steady at £134m, but compensation fund contributions soar
The practising certificate fee for solicitors is set to be frozen this year, but contributions to bolster the Solicitors Compensation Fund are to more than double ahead of an expected rise in claims arising from their involvement in fraudulent investment schemes. The Law Society issued a consultation yesterday that laid out a proposed budget of £134.2m.
Law firm insolvencies rising sharply, research finds
Insolvencies in the legal sector are set to double this year if trends seen in the first quarter of 2018 continue, indicating a possible downturn in the fortunes of law firms, it has been claimed. The figures also indicate that law firms may be waiting too long before seeking help.
