Battle of the box: Irwin Mitchell unveils first TV ads as rivals launch new campaigns
Some of the country’s biggest legal brands are going head to head on our screens this month after Irwin Mitchell launched its first-ever television advertising campaign, Russell Jones & Walker unveiled a new approach to promoting its Claims Direct brand and QualitySolicitors (QS) started its second round of adverts.
Fox & Partners claims law firm first after converting to full employee-ownership model
An Edinburgh law firm claims to have become the first in the UK to embrace full employee ownership of the business. The new employee-owned company, Fox & Partners, gives all of the firm’s 10 staff an ownership stake in the new entity.
Regulators urged to help “scared” consumers make complaints to their lawyers
Regulators need to take urgent action to improve the way lawyers handle complaints after a “hard-hitting” new report highlighted multiple failings. However, although clients are often scared to complain, a positive experience when they do can actually make them likely to recommend the provider.
QASA will drive solicitors out of criminal law, Law Society warns
The Quality Assurance Scheme for Advocates (QASA) will drive many solicitors out of criminal law, the Law Society has warned. It is the latest hostile response to the final consultation on the scheme ahead of its introduction in January.
The future of PI: external investment, few CMCs and five or six major claimant firms
“Numerous” external investors will appear alongside consolidation and new structures once the “floodgates of change” hit the personal injury market next year – with just five or six claimant firms likely to dominate – an authoritative new report has predicted.
COLPs "need access to external legal advice" if facing conflict with firm management
Compliance officers for legal practice (COLPs) should be allowed to buy in independent external advice at their firm’s expense in the event of a conflict with management, according to two senior solicitor consultants.
Law Society takes equity stake in compliance software business
The Law Society has taken the unusual step of investing in a company set up by a non-lawyer law firm partner to sell a groundbreaking web-based risk and compliance software package for solicitors.
Oh yes – Direct Line set for ABS as it reveals £110m solicitor referral fee income since 2009
Insurance company Direct Line will shortly make an application to become an alternative business structure, with the referral fee ban set to choke off a source of income that has raised £110m over the past three and a half years, it has emerged.
LSB: current financial protection regime risks giving clients "false confidence"
Compensation arrangements for consumers involved in legal transactions that go wrong are outdated and need to be improved, the Legal Services Board has said in calling on its consumer panel to undertake research and provide advice on the issue.
PwC targets in-house counsel with “legal effectiveness” service
Big Four accountancy firm PwC has launched a new service aimed at helping in-house lawyers look at how they operate internally – and also manage their external legal advice. PwC has hired Stephen Allen, formerly director of innovation at City law firm Berwin Leighton Paisner, to head it.
