ICAEW wins power to licence probate ABSs
The Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales has been given the green light by Parliament to regulate alternative business structures which provide probate services, with dozens of firms already showing an interest in taking advantage.
North of England private equity firm invests £15m in industrial diseases ABS
NorthEdge Capital, a private equity firm focused on investing in businesses in the North of England, has announced an investment of £15m into Roberts Jackson, the Cheshire-based industrial disease alternative business structure.
Clinical negligence outsourcer bids to become alternative business structure
Clinical negligence outsourcer 5R1 has announced its intention to become the first in its field to obtain alternative business structure (ABS) status. It currently operates as a claims management company, regulated by the Ministry of Justice.
LSB attacks Bar Council’s “extreme reluctance” to adapt to market conditions
The Legal Services Board (LSB) has said the Bar Council’s response to the Jeffrey review illustrated its “extreme reluctance” to “look forward and adapt to market conditions”.
Ex-BSB director returns to the law with CILEx
Mandie Lavin, the former director of the Bar Standards Board, has returned to the legal scene after being appointed the new chief executive of the Chartered Institute of Legal Executives (CILEx).
“Too intimidating and too expensive” – new LSB chair’s verdict on the legal market
The legal market is “too intimidating, too uniform and, in many cases, too expensive”, the new chairman of the Legal Services Board has warned. Sir Michael Pitt said also he would like to see lawyers’ rulebooks slimmed down.
Indemnity cover cut ignores ‘increasing’ number of larger claims
The number of larger professional indemnity claims is increasing, undermining the case for a cut in the minimum cover for law firms from £2m to £500,000, an industry expert has argued in a letter to the Legal Services Board.
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.
