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Commercial law firms have a limited “window of opportunity” to adopt new delivery models which is unlikely to “remain open forever”, a report has warned. Jomati Consultants also revealed that four City firms are on course to receive almost £8m in government grants as a result of opening low cost centres.

Law firms are “in good shape financially”, with median income increasing by 5.4% last year, according to Law Society research. The survey found the median fee income for a partner had reached almost £620,000 and a solicitor almost £118,000 – but more partners than last year are drawing too much.

A judge who wrongly questioned the status of a solicitor after doing his own research on the Law Society’s website, has been criticised by the Court of Appeal. The judge at Central London County Court complained that he had prosecuted “too many swindlers” as a barrister, and was “naturally suspicious of everybody, particularly in this court”.

The general public strongly supports the notion of full separation of legal regulators from professional bodies, according to the results of an opinion poll commissioned by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA). The Law Society hit back by appearing to suggest an SRA stripped of its power to set solicitors’ standards should be merged with other legal regulators.

Small law firms have the most to lose if a Solicitors Qualifying Examination is introduced as it may downgrade the value of being part of the profession, a leading legal academic has warned. Professor Anthony Bradney said the exam could be a way for solicitors to “very rapidly lose their reputation”.

The Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal has struck off a solicitor who failed to meet a deadline to submit applications to the First-tier Tribunal, and then fabricated documents which purported to show that he had, in an attempt to deceive both the tribunal and the other side.

There is still a long way to go before there is “effective competition” in the legal market, the Legal Services Board has told the Competition and Markets Authority. The oversight regulator urged the CMA not to rule out the possibility of conducting a full market investigation at this stage.

A solicitor convicted of perverting the course of justice for sharing information about police activities with drug dealers has won the right to a further appeal hearing on the issue of legal professional privilege. Basharat Ali Ditta was jailed for three years by Liverpool Crown Court.

Knights, the law firm backed by leading businessman James Caan, is targeting accountants, tax specialists and town planners as part of a plan to recruit a 100 more professionals this year. Chief executive David Beech said he expected around half of the new recruits to be non-lawyers.

Elite Insurance, one of only three unrated indemnity insurers of law firms and the only one based in Britain, announced yesterday that it is leaving the market. Elite cited increased risks of client account fraud and the government’s planned increase to the small claims limit as reasons for the move.