Bar Standards Board set to become ABS licensing authority
The Bar Standards Board has received the green light to license alternative business structures. The approval from the Legal Services Board needs to be confirmed by the Ministry of Justice. The BSB’s initial focus will be on “low-risk, advocacy focused ABSs”.
Legal services market is failing us, say small businesses
This is a “considerable failure” of the legal services market to meet the needs of small businesses, a major lobbying group has told the Competition and Markets Authority. The Federation of Small Business said the barriers small businesses face in resolving legal problems were “numerous”.
Virtual assistants will mean fewer lawyers, Riverview predicts
The spread of virtual assistants will not remove the need for lawyers but it will reduce their number, the chief executive of Riverview Law has predicted. Karl Chapman said he was “amazed” by the number of lawyers doing things they did not need to do.
CMC fights off challenge from Lloyds over PPI advert
Crystal Legal Services, a claims management company (CMC), has seen off a challenge from Lloyds Banking Group to one of its PPI adverts after three other CMCs had fallen foul of complaints by the bank.
SRA fines family lawyer for failing to record cash payments
A family lawyer who failed to record cash payments from clients has agreed to a £2,000 fine by the Solicitors Regulation Authority, while in another regulatory settlement agreement, a former head of private client at a West Midlands law firm agreed to remove herself from the roll following poor file management.
Denton’s IT accelerator looks short and long term with Apperio investment and ROSS expansion
NextLaw Labs, the business accelerator set up by global law firm Dentons, has invested in an IT product which claims to improve the transparency of fees and cement the bond between lawyers and corporate clients. Meanwhile, another of its investments, AI venture Ross, is opening up to more law firms.
Land Registry can sue conveyancers for mortgage misrepresentations, High Court rules
The Land Registry can sue a former law firm for negligent misrepresentation in not checking whether a mortgage discharge form was genuine, the High Court has decided. Master Matthews admitted there was no fiduciary relationship between law firm and Land Registry.
High Court quashes Legal Ombudsman’s decision against barrister – because there was no complaint
The High Court has strongly criticised the Legal Ombudsman as it quashed a decision sanctioning a barrister for pursuing court action against a direct access client for fees – when the client had not complained about it. It also expressed surprise at “the vehemence of the language used by the LO” in its finding.
News in brief: Unbundling appeal rejected, CLC cuts fees, and more
It’s been a busy few days and here we round up other key news, with updates on unbundling legal services, the Council for Licensed Conveyancers, the value of the legal market, new members of the Legal Services Board, a successful government wills campaign, and extended run-off cover for solicitors.
Legal consultancy becomes first SRA firm to use BARCO
The Legal Director, a legal consultancy which provides in-house lawyers to businesses on a contract basis, has become the first firm regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority to use the Bar Council’s third-party escrow account, BARCO.
