SRA hits out at prospect of “anti-competition” Law Society resuming control of regulation
The Law Society’s vision for the future of legal regulation would enable it to restrict the licensing of alternative business structures so as to protect solicitors from competition, the Solicitors Regulation Authority has warned.
Solicitors caught up with Russian mafia, regulator warns
Criminality within the solicitors’ profession has reached the level where the Russian mafia have become involved, it emerged yesterday. The SRA has uncovered “very significant levels of misconduct in firms”.
Exclusive: acquisition strategy to propel Slater & Gordon to the top of Google
Slater & Gordon’s series of acquisitions is set to topple the likes of Irwin Mitchell and Thompsons and gain it the leading position in the hugely competitive online personal injury market, an analysis seen exclusively by Legal Futures has found.
Exclusive: Vara calls on legal aid “realists” to step forward
The prospect of a strike by legal aid lawyers is “regrettable”, but there are lawyers who will operate under the new regime, justice minister Shailesh Vara has insisted. Mr Vara also urged lawyers to embrace the innovation showcased by alternative business structures.
LeO confronts challenges to its relevance and announces budget cuts
The Legal Ombudsman is to attempt to build an early intervention capacity, including mediation and arbitration. Launching its 2014-17 draft strategy and budget, LeO also said it would seek to shave a further 5% off the cost of each case it handles.
All out – barristers step up legal aid opposition with morning of ‘non-attendance’
The Criminal Bar Association (CBA) has announced a morning of ‘non-attendance’ on the first day of the new court term next year in a major escalation of its opposition to the government’s legal aid cuts.
Exclusive: “regulatory system needs to change,” says new minister
The current system for regulating the legal profession “has to change”, according to new justice minister Shailesh Vara in his first interview since taking office. Mr Vara also stressed that raising the small claims limit for personal injury cases remains firmly on the agenda.
QualitySolicitors bids to ditch all hourly billing for fixed fees
QualitySolicitors is to launch the ‘QS Price Promise’ that could see all 120 member firms ditch hourly billing early next year, it announced today. It wants to become “the first consumer legal service to offer fixed fees for all legal services – including litigation”.
S&G sets up research fund as fellow consumer ABS targets London
Slater & Gordon has announced a commitment of more than £500,000 to help fund research into the social and medical issues that impact its clients. Meanwhile, Minster Law has opened a 30-strong London office as part of its continuing growth.
Half of partners “don’t understand catastrophic personal consequences” of law firm failures
Half of partners do not fully understand the potentially “catastrophic” personal consequences of their firm getting into financial difficulty, new research has warned. Baker Tilly said individual partners in firms “can no longer expect that being a good lawyer is good enough”.
