Small claims expert: personal injury tariff scheme would force me to leave market
David Bott, whose law firm has led the way in handling huge numbers of low-value flight delay compensation claims, said last week the government’s planned tariff scheme for personal injury cases would force him out of the market even if he adopted the same approach for them.
Debt collection agency launches ABS
A large north of England debt collection agency has launched an alternative business structure to bring work in-house after commercial clients demanded a “seamless cradle to grave service”. The aim is “to continue the service that we already supply but do it from our internal resources rather than through partnerships with law firms”.
Law Society lashes SRA over “new Wild West” of legal regulation
The Law Society has hit out at the latest raft of reforms proposed yesterday by the Solicitors Regulation Authority and particularly the idea of granting ‘freelance’ solicitors the ability to deliver reserved legal services without being either a registered sole practitioner or part of a law firm.
Start your own firm on the day you qualify, SRA proposes in latest Handbook revisions
Solicitors will be able to set up their own law firms as soon as they qualify – rather than have to wait three years as now – under the latest wave of changes to the SRA Handbook proposed by the regulator today. It also proposes to allow freelance solicitors to offer reserved legal activities and an 11-year period after the SQE comes into being to finish qualifying under the current regime.
SRA widens scope of plans to make law firms publish prices
The Solicitors Regulation Authority is planning to extend its plans to force law firms to publish prices from conveyancing, private client and divorce work, to personal injury, employment and motoring offences, it revealed today.
SDT fires starting gun over possible appeal in Leigh Day case
The Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal yesterday published its 214-page ruling in the Leigh Day case, meaning the Solicitors Regulation Authority now has to decide whether to appeal. The ruling also details for the first time the disagreement among the three tribunal panel members – an extremely rare occurrence.
Exclusive: Law Society settles ‘abuse of dominant position’ case amid war of words
The Law Society has settled the case that saw the Competition Appeal Tribunal rule that that it abused a dominant position, Legal Futures can reveal. The details of the agreement on damages and costs are confidential, which was criticised by the successful claimant, who also questioned the society’s behaviour throughout the matter.
Inns of Court accused of not doing enough to combat homophobia as research uncovers discrimination
Many LGBT+ barristers believe the Inns of Court are not doing enough to combat homophobia at the Bar, according to a ground-breaking study which suggested that “homophobia is stronger at the Bar than in the general population”.
CMCs to face re-authorisation under new regulatory regime as SRA defends activity over cold-calling
Claims management companies will have to be authorised afresh by the Financial Conduct Authority before they can operate under the new regime, it has emerged. The FCA would set the bar higher when authorising CMCs than it had been set 10 years ago when the MoJ started regulating them, the current regulator said.
Exclusive: Leading insurer ditches legal services offering
Leading insurance company LV= has ditched its legal services offering, less than two years after starting it, Legal Futures can reveal. In January 2016, it launched a joint venture with Bristol-based law firm Lyons Davidson to offer fixed-fee advice for a range of consumer legal services.
