Slater & Gordon to sue over acquisition of Quindell’s professional services division
Slater & Gordon has announced that it is taking legal action against Watchstone Group – formerly Quindell – over its £637m purchase of Quindell’s professional services division last year. At the start of 2016 S&G unveiled a massive write-down of goodwill arising from the acquisition.
Gateley boosts property practice by buying firm of surveyors
Listed law firm Gateley has continued its acquisition of complementary businesses by spending up to £2m to buy a firm of surveyors that will work alongside its property practice. Hamer Associates specialises in easements and wayleaves, and compulsory purchase and compensation.
“Lawyers turn to us anyway” – accountants lay claim to probate work
It would be less stressful and less expensive for clients to use their accountants for probate work than solicitors, one of the leading accountancy bodies has claimed. Meanwhile, the head of an accountancy ABS said it made “little sense” for lawyers to handle uncontested probate work.
SME lobby: regulators must have power to force lawyers’ price information into public domain
The Federation of Small Businesses has recommended that legal services regulators be given sweeping powers to force providers to make public wide-ranging information on pricing and client feedback. The not-for-profit organisation, which lobbies for the interests of SMEs, also advised that ‘unmet need’ among small businesses is addressed by boosting the information available on what problems might have legal remedies.
Exclusive: 6 Pump Court becomes first major set to create BSB entity
London set 6 Pump Court has become the first major chambers to set up a Bar Standards Board-regulated entity. However, head of chambers Stephen Hockman QC – a former chairman of the Bar Council – was optimistic about the durability of the traditional chambers model.
Fairpoint’s transformation into listed legal business continues apace
The transformation of AIM-listed Fairpoint Group into a legal services business continued apace in the first six months of 2016, its half-year results showed yesterday. Revenue increased by 24% to £28.3m in the period, of which £21.5m was from legal services, nearly twice as much as a year before. Profits were steady at £4m.
Bring unregulated providers within LeO’s jurisdiction, says chief ombudsman
The changing legal market means that anybody offering legal services – including unregulated providers – should have to offer some kind of access to the Legal Ombudsman, the chief ombudsman has said. Kathryn Stone said this would be “a much more coherent way for us to provide our service”.
Government and judges urge lawyers to innovate as era of online justice and fixed fees approaches
Lawyers need to embrace innovation to find new ways of delivering services and simplifying working practices, the government and senior judiciary said today as they unveiled their vision for the digital transformation of the justice system. The £1bn plan includes the prospect of people being convicted online for minor offences, and plans for fixed fees across as much of the civil system as possible.
Law Society rejects ABI claim that solicitors facilitate insurance fraud amid concern that cold-calling ban could go
The Law Society has hit back at the Association of British Insurers for claiming that solicitors are involved in insurance fraud. Separately, APIL has expressed concern that the rule which bans solicitors from cold-calling members of the public could be dropped as part of the SRA’s Handbook review.
Firm admits misconduct after involvement in SDLT avoidance schemes
A well-known Gloucestershire law firm has accepted that it did not act in the best interests of lender clients due to its involvement in stamp duty land tax avoidance schemes. In addition to its conveyancing charges – which totalled £102,000 for 65 transactions – the firm billed £28,000 for facilitating the schemes.
