London firm launches fixed-fee arbitration in bid to stem spiralling costs of divorce
A central London law firm has launched a fixed-fee family arbitration service in a bid to slash what it says is now an average £70,000 cost for divorcing people to reach a financial settlement. It comes as research shows those who have been through a divorce are less likely than the average to see lawyers as truthful.
BBC calls out Law Society over response to MoJ online convictions plan
The BBC has undermined a Law Society call to trial online convictions with cases of TV licensing evasion, after the broadcaster highlighted flaws in its argument. The society has recommended trying out online convictiosn in summary-only, non-imprisonable offences with TV licence evasion.
Firms “need to embrace commercial approach” to fixed fees
Law firms are unnecessarily afraid of operating on fixed fees, and need to take a more commercial approach to how they market and price their services, according to the solicitor who created The Law Superstore. He said he had also found that firms do not monitor how much work their marketing generates.
Bar Council and Inns: Cut training cost by allowing students to learn the law how they want
A model of training barristers that would split the Bar professional training course into two – allowing students to learn procedure and evidence however they want before undergoing compulsory skills training – has been put forward by the Bar Council and Council of the Inns of Court as an alternative to the regulator’s plans for training reform.
NAH to spend £1.7m on restructuring PI operation in response to whiplash reforms
National Accident Helpline is to invest £1.7m over the next year so as to accelerate changes to its operating model that will enable it to respond to the government’s proposed personal injury reforms. NAH’s profits will be hit in the short term and its share price took a significant hit as a result.
SRA tells MPs: Regulatory reform needed to mitigate impact of Brexit
The Solicitors Regulation Authority has spelt out to MPs the many risks of Brexit to the legal market – to clients, solicitors, law firms, foreign lawyers, the UK as a legal centre and the cause of liberalisation generally. The regulator said this strengthened the case for regulatory reform.
Early test for will-writing firm that opted into SRA regulation to help protect clients
A man who tried to get a vulnerable client to loan him money – shortly after the will-writing firm he worked for became an alternative business structure – has been banned from working in the profession after it reported him to its new regulator.
Thompsons calls in equality commission in bid to widen fight against whiplash reforms
Campaigning claimant law firm Thompsons has sought to open up a new front in the fight over the government’s proposed whiplash reforms by asking the Equality and Human Rights Commission to consider whether those from ethnic minorities will lose out when the insurance industry passes on any savings.
SDT strikes off solicitor who lied about guarantees on loans clients made to him
The Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal has struck off a solicitor who borrowed £125,000 from longstanding clients to bail out his failing business and failed to mention that his wife had a prior charge over the firm’s assets. He also did not insist they take independent legal advice.
Slater & Gordon’s legal action over Quindell deal “has merit”, independent barrister decides
Slater & Gordon has overcome the first hurdle in its bid to recover some of the money it paid for Quindell’s professional services division last year, after an independent barrister said its claim had merit. The Australian-listed firm began legal action in September.
