Diversity, cash flow, referral fees and fraud – an anatomy of the problems afflicting chambers
Widespread failure to comply with diversity rules, cash-flow problems, disguised referral fees and fraud have all been revealed in a Bar Standards Board report on “high impact” chambers. Few chambers also bothered to get feedback from lay clients.
Autumn merger mania strikes again up and down the land
Mergers have been unveiled across the country in recent days, with firms of all sizes and practice areas choosing to join forces. There is usually a rush of mergers each year timed to coincide with the 30 September deadline to secure professional indemnity insurance, and 2015 has proven no different.
Short-term Brexit “bonanza” would be followed by drought, City lawyers tell Law Society
Any short-term “bonanza” in legal work triggered by Britain’s exit from the EU would be followed by a drought, City lawyers have warned in a report by the Law Society. The society highlighted the impact on England and Wales as a centre of international dispute resolution.
Lawyers still not cost-effective, small businesses tell biggest ever survey
Only 13% of small businesses believe lawyers “provide a cost-effective means to resolve legal issues”, the biggest survey of its kind has found. The survey also found that small businesses were more likely to use accountants in solving legal problems than solicitors.
“Humble” SRA decides to grade itself as “undertaking improvement”
The Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) has decided not to grade itself as ‘good’ or ‘satisfactory’ in a self-assessment exercise for the Legal Services Board. Chief executive Paul Philip told a board meeting yesterday that the SRA had chosen to respond “in a humble way” rather than stressing its achievements.
Poll: It’s all about the law – not the business of law
Lawyers at small and medium-sized firms are motivated much more by helping clients than running businesses, research has found. Only a slender majority said they enjoyed managing a business or saw themselves as “entrepreneurial”, compared to the 83% who got a “real buzz” out of practising law.
Accountants recruit solicitor to head new regulatory arm
Michael Caplan QC, one of the few solicitor QCs and a partner at Kingsley Napley for over 30 years, has been recruited by the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales to head its new regulatory board.
‘Vexatious’ barrister disbarred
A barrister who brought 30 failed employment tribunal claims in four years, mainly against employers and recruiters for legal roles, and also the Bar Council over its pupillage rules, has been disbarred.
SRA admits to “missing year” when solicitors will not have to declare training
Solicitors will not have to declare on their practicing certificates that they carried out professional training for the year 2015-16, the Solicitors Regulation Authority has admitted. However, they will still have to do their training.
Barristers shunning litigation rights but recording successes with public access
Barristers are shunning the chance to go into direct competition with solicitors and conduct litigation for clients in addition to their advocacy, it has emerged. Delegates at Saturday’s Bar conference also heard that while public access also remains “under the radar”, there is evidence of clients preferring the cheaper option of going direct to a barrister.
