… as LSB chair accuses Law Society and Bar of wanting to stifle competition
The Law Society and Bar Council’s call for the government to return large swathes of regulation to them is self-serving and aims to restrict competition, the chairman of the Legal Services Board has claimed.
MPs probe OLC chair-in-waiting, as CMC complaints impasse finally broken
The Legal Ombudsman should swap the telephone for the internet as the main way it deals with the public and in doing so reflect the market it serves, according to the man likely to become chair of its oversight body, the Office for Legal Complaints.
Crime firms’ “bad treatment” of clients will only get worse with cuts, study predicts
The academic who earlier this year angered criminal defence practitioners when he revealed research suggesting the firms he shadowed had mistreated their clients, has warned that the legal aid cuts planned by the Ministry of Justice will only make things worse.
In-Deed brand acquisition aimed at building up online property panel
The In-Deed conveyancing brand has been acquired by the owner of an online property panel – the final step in the dissolution of the country’s first alternative business structure (ABS) failure.
IPReg poised to become ABS licensing authority number 3
The prospect of external investment in intellectual property firms is set to soar after the Intellectual Property Regulation Board won the support of the Legal Services Board to become the third alternative business structure licensing authority.
Consumers not persuaded by cheap conveyancing quotes, major survey finds
The large majority of home movers do not opt for the cheapest conveyancing, and are generally happy with the service provided by their solicitor or licensed conveyancer, major new research has found.
Crowdfunders flock to invest in LPO business
A UK legal process outsourcing company has obtained an equity investment of double the amount it was seeking to fund ambitious expansion plans, using the ‘crowdfunding’ method of appealing to investors.
Entrepreneur-backed Defence Hub promises to “revolutionise” criminal defence market
A new business owned by “non-solicitor entrepreneurs” who have already invested £10m is promising to revolutionise the way in which criminal defence work is undertaken. Defence Hub is predicting that it will turnover more than £50m in its first year.
High Court judge warns of dangers of lawyers “over-specialising”
Specialisation in the legal profession has narrowed to the point where it is possible for a barrister to become a Queen’s Counsel without ever having cross-examined a witness, according to Mr Justice Rabinder Singh.
LSB: we will attack the barriers to “radical change”
The Legal Services Board has pledged to attack the “cultural resistance to radical change” that it said was necessary for the legal market to thrive. It will also target unnecessary restrictions on new business structures and the cost of regulation.
