Record number of investments in lawtech start-ups last year, as A&O launches incubator
A record number of start-ups targeting the legal market received funding around the world last year, new research has found. It comes as City giant Allen & Overy is to nurture legal tech start-ups with the creation of an incubator.
Model for online court “will begin to hear small claims from 1 June”
The pioneering digital tribunal thought to be the model for England and Wales’s online court will begin resolving small claims disputes worth under about £3,000 on 1 June, it has emerged. British Columbia’s civil resolution tribunal claims to be “the first online tribunal in the world that is integrated into the public justice system”.
New York appeal court rejects bid to overturn ban on external investment in law firms
An American law firm that claims to have wealthy individuals and institutions lined up to inject money into its practice has lost its latest effort to challenge the ban on non-lawyer investment, this time in New York.
Pain before the gain – Fairpoint warns of lower legal services revenues before 2018 rebound
Fairpoint Group plc – the AIM-listed business that has bought four law firms – today told investors that they would not see the benefits of its restructuring until 2018 as it warned that performance this year will drop. Its revenue from legal services revenues jumped 32% to £41.8m in 2016, but are likely to dip 15% this year.
McKenzie Friend Marketplace to ban “active” students from giving legal advice in wake of criticism
The McKenzie Friend Marketplace, which hopes to help hundreds of law students find paid work offering legal services, has responded to criticism from practitioners by announcing that it will ban active students from providing legal advice – although they will be able to give clients other types of support.
Legal Services Board to dig deep into Law Society’s relationship with SRA in independence probe
The Legal Services Board is to review the conduct of the Law Society since autumn 2014 to determine whether Chancery Lane interfered with the Solicitors Regulation Authority’s independence, it has emerged. The wide scope of the investigation indicates that the board will dig deep into the society’s internal workings.
SRA-backed report: SQE “risks creating tiered system” that favours privileged students
There is a risk that the Solicitors Regulation Authority’s plans for education reform will do little to disrupt the privilege of students with access to funding and other advantages, according to an independent report commissioned by the regulator.
FOIL vice-president opts for Bar Standards Board to set up new business
A prominent solicitor-turned-barrister specialising in insurance litigation has set up a chambers under the oversight of the Bar Standards Board, which eventually will offer litigation in addition to advocacy. Stephen Hines is also the vice-chairman of the Forum of Insurance Lawyers.
Jail for solicitor who plundered £4m from clients and Church of England
A respected solicitor who took £4m from her clients – and also stole Church of England cash in her role as registrar with the Diocese of Wakefield – has been jailed for seven years. Linda Box, who is 67, pleaded guilty to nine counts of fraud, two of forgery and one of theft.
SRA fines solicitor who breached its own and Football Association rules
A solicitor who used and paid a struck-off solicitor in his practice, submitted false costs claims to defendant insurers and was also sanctioned by the Football Association for his work as a player’s agent, has accepted a £2,000 fine from the Solicitors Regulation Authority.
