Diplomat to chair Bar Standards Board
Sir Andrew Burns, a career diplomat, has been chosen to replace Baroness Ruth Deech as chair of the Bar Standards Board (BSB) from 1 January 2015.
Exclusive: will-writers’ trade body launches unique ABS
The Institute of Professional Willwriters has won approval for a unique alternative business structure that will enable its members and others to access related legal services for their clients, and share in the fees generated.
New Legal Ombudsman chair pushes for jurisdiction over all legal services providers
The new chair of the Office for Legal Complaints – which oversees the Legal Ombudsman – has outlined his ambition for the service to cover unregulated providers of legal services and those offering legal advice as part of a wider package.
LSB attacks SRA’s “over-engineered” approach to MDPs and non-lawyer owners
The Legal Services Board has attacked the Solicitors Regulation Authority for having “over-engineered” its approach to regulating multi-disciplinary alternative business structures and to approving non-lawyer owners.
Slater & Gordon, Irwin Mitchell and Minster Law “will be the PI winners”
The “top three winners” from personal injury market consolidation will be Slater & Gordon, Irwin Mitchell and Minster Law, a leading defendant insurer has predicted.
Lloyds defends solicitor debt collection letters, saying: "Times have changed"
Views on transparency and clarity “have changed” since Lloyds Bank first started sending letters to debtors under the name of a solicitors’ firm, its group chief executive has told MPs.
CA refers barrister to regulator over clash with judge
The Court of Appeal has referred the conduct of a well-known criminal barrister to the Bar Standards Board, hitting out at his “breathtaking arrogance” despite overturning a contempt finding made against him.
‘Accountants have £500,000 indemnity limit, so why can’t we?’ SRA asks LSB
The Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) has reminded the Legal Services Board (LSB) of its decision to allow accountancy firms wanting to carry out legal work to have minimum indemnity insurance cover of £500,000, in a bid to head off concerns about its move to reduce the level for solicitors.
Third of solicitors make errors when asking anti-fraud authority for consent to act
A third of suspicious activity reports submitted by solicitors seeking consent to continue working on a matter do not contain enough information on which to make a decision, the UK Financial Intelligence Unit has found.
Accountants able to handle probate work without solicitors from next month
Chartered accountants will be able to carry out reserved probate work themselves, without the need to instruct a solicitor, from next month, the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW) has said.
