Keeping it simple: QS-owner Simplify Group buys Simplify the Law
The Simplify Group – the legal services group that owns QualitySolicitors – has added online business Evident Legal to its portfolio. Evident began life in 2011 as a law firm franchise called Simplify the Law, before reinventing itself in late 2012 as an online document business.
LSB refuses to be drawn into legal aid debate and turns spotlight on profession instead
The Legal Services Board has emphatically rejected calls to join the protests against legal aid cuts, and suggested instead that the profession needs to work harder to provide access to legal services.
Struck off and now disbarred: lawyer who defrauded the Law Society
A former solicitor and non-practising barrister who was convicted of a string of offences – including assaulting two police officers and defrauding the Law Society of £23,000 while a member of its council – has been disbarred two months after she was struck off the roll of solicitors.
LSB: regulators better on diversity but barristers still coy about backgrounds
More than 80% of barristers have declined to disclose information about their socio-economic backgrounds when asked to do so by their professional regulator, it has emerged.
Exclusive: Miscarriages of justice charity seeks law firm status
A criminal appeals charity run by lawyers has applied to the Solicitors Regulation Authority to be a regulated legal practice, and could become the first charity to become a traditional law firm in its own right.
A multi-disciplinary vision of the future for lawyers and how they will help code legal apps
One possible occupation for future lawyers will be as a computer programmer, writing code for apps or working alongside an independent legal technology provider, according to the vision of a leading futurologist.
HR consultancy and pensions provider enter legal market with ABSs
A business offering unregulated legal services and HR consultancy is to launch an alternative business structure (ABS) to add reserved areas of law done in-house to its extensive menu of employment and HR advice.
SDT fines “appalling” solicitor record £305,000
A solicitor who took advantage of a former client has been given a record £305,000 fine by the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal, more than six times the previous highest amount.
Businesses line up to be regulated by Bar Standards Board
Sixteen businesses have so far completed their applications to be regulated by the Bar Standards Board, it has emerged. The barristers’ regulator will issue its first licences next month.
Draft surveillance codes prompt call for statutory protection of privilege
Safeguards proposed by the government to protect legal professional privilege from sweeping state surveillance powers are inadequate and lawyers’ communications should be explicitly protected by legislation, the Law Society has urged.
