AIM-listed legal marketing business eyes up further acquisitions as it unveils strong results
National Accident Helpline today reported strong first-half results as it looks for further acquisitions in both the personal injury and conveyancing markets. The AIM-listed legal marketing business said revenue was up 15% to £25.4m for the first six months of 2015, with operating profit increasing 21% to £6.5m.
Row over entry to the profession after Law Society accuses SRA of pre-emptive decision on new assessment
The Solicitors Regulation Authority has issued a strong denial that it has already made up its mind over how it will assess the competence of would-be solicitors, after the Law Society suggested that it had.
SDT throws out allegations of forgery against fee-earner
The Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal has thrown out forgery charges against a non-qualified fee-earner, deciding he had no case to answer and that the Solicitors Regulation Authority should pay costs of £5,000 as a reminder to it to keep cases under review as they progressed.
Poll: Public have negative view of increase in legal services advertising
The increase in advertising legal services is having a negative effect on the justice system, according to a survey of 1,261 members of the public. There were similar findings in relation to the growth of ‘no win, no fee’ cases.
ABS round-up: Waivers for Kingston Smith, Fletchers gains licence, and more
Leading accountancy firm Kingston Smith has been granted a wide range of waivers from Solicitors Regulation Authority rules as part of its groundbreaking transfer of alternative business structure regulator. We also have ABS news from Fletchers, Express Solicitors and Legal Recoveries & Collections.
Council’s failure to seek legal advice costs it £1.9m
A council’s failure to seek legal advice during a property development has cost £1.9m in lost income, it admitted last week. Rutland County Council said it has put in place new procedures to ensure there is no repetition of the “serious administrative error”.
US firm enters battle for tech start-ups with free legal documents and guidance
US firm Cooley – which launched in the UK at the start of the year – has become the latest to make a play for the UK technology start-up market by introducing a British version of its online resource centre, including free legal documents.
Business services pioneer launches ABS to extend offering to clients
A pioneering business services company that was one of the first in the world to sell corporate information online has launched an alternative business structure, with ambitions to add a range of legal services to its offering.
City lawyers warn PII reforms “risk damaging solicitor brand”
City solicitors have outlined their deep scepticism about plans by the Solicitors Regulation Authority to reform professional indemnity insurance rules, warning that “the solicitor brand should not be placed at risk” without very good reason.
BSB jumps out of cab-rank rule frying pan and into fire of LSB probe
The Bar Standards Board (BSB) has been discharged from an undertaking it gave nearly two years ago to deal with concerns over the way it dealt with changes to the cab-rank rule. But in doing so, the Legal Services Board said it had continuing misgivings that have “directed our attention towards the BSB’s approach to regulation more broadly”.
