LSB: Bar Council interfered with independence of BSB over cab-rank rule changes
The Bar Council has accepted that breached the independence of the Bar Standards Board by interfering in controversial changes to the cab-rank rule, it emerged today. The Legal Services Board has however agreed to an informal resolution, having considered a censure.
LeO ‘cost per complaint’ too high, benchmarking survey finds
The Legal Ombudsman compares well with similar schemes on case resolution speeds, client satisfaction and perceptions of fairness, but many complainants reject its findings and its cost per complaint is high, according to a study.
Ex-MP launches virtual chambers ahead of legal aid “meltdown”
A former Conservative MP and practising barrister has said he is certain the planned headline criminal legal aid fee cuts will go ahead unaltered, and will this week launch a ‘virtual chambers’ in anticipation.
ABS update: MDP gains licence, employee ownership move, NewLaw’s latest JV, Co-op “restructuring”
A multi-discipinary financial services group has obtained an ABS licence to complete its broad-based professional advice offering by bringing legal services in-house. Meanwhile, a specialist fertility law practice is considering using its licence to introduce employee ownership,
LSB’s lay chair plan “aims to bring regulators into line”, says Bar Council
The Legal Services Board wants to impose lay chairs on the frontline regulators so that they will “do more of what [it] wants”, the Bar Council has claimed. The Bar Standards Board and Law Society have also come out strongly against the proposal.
Local councils make ABS bid as bulwark against outsourcing, while Kent pauses its ABS plan
HB Public Law, the merged legal teams of the London boroughs of Barnet and Harrow, is to seek an alternative business structure as a defence against outsourcing. Meanwhile, Kent Legal Services, the first council legal team to express ABS ambitions, has its plans on hold.
Third time unlucky for solicitor as High Court rejects challenge to strike-off
It was third time unlucky for a solicitor whose striking-off had twice been overturned by the High Court, as Mr Justice Mostyn yesterday rejected his challenge to the latest decision to remove him from the roll.
Solicitor jailed for stamp duty fraud
A solicitor who attempted to pocket £133,000 in a tax fraud by changing conveyancing documents and lying to his clients was jailed yesterday. He pleaded guilty to two charges of cheating the public revenue and was sentenced to 21 months in prison.
SRA eyes 50-fold increase in fining power
The Solicitors Regulation Authority has shelved its bid to increase the maximum fine it can impose on law firms from £2,000 to £250m and is instead looking for a more modest rise – although still possibly 50 times the current level.
Incubator enables starts-ups targeted at those priced out of legal services
An incubator that helps recently qualified lawyers start ‘socially conscious’ law firms so as to expand legal services to people with low and moderate incomes, and innovate in how they are provided, was launched last week in the US.
