Simpson Millar and DAS bring pre-paid legal services to the UK
National law firm Simpson Millar has joined forces with legal expenses insurer DAS to bring insurance-backed pre-paid legal plans to the UK, offering cover for a wide range of contentious and non-contentious work – including conveyancing and personal injury.
Heads of chambers unite against QASA as criminal Bar bids to build alliance
The meeting of heads of chambers on the South Eastern Circuit last week ended in unanimous opposition to the Quality Assurance Scheme for Advocates (QASA) in its current form, it has emerged.
Specialist PI firm targets white-label deals with insurers after winning ABS licence
The latest personal injury law firm to become an alternative business structure is eyeing up the opportunity of offering insurers a specialist white-label service, it has emerged. Without the status, “you can’t get off the starting blocks,” said its chief executive.
City solicitors strike deal with commercial Bar over special terms of business
The City of London Law Society and Commercial Bar Association have published model terms of business for barristers instructed in commercial cases after more than two years of negotiation. The Bar Council’s new standard terms were deemed unacceptable by some solicitors.
Revised QASA timetable confirms new nine-month delay
The Quality Assurance Scheme for Advocates (QASA) will start in September, nine months later than planned, it was announced yesterday. The revised timetable was released just hours before heads of chambers met to discuss their response to QASA.
Bar Council and Law Society at loggerheads as standard terms of contract come into force
Barristers could end up uninsured and in financial hardship if they agree to variations of their new standard terms of contract recommended by the Law Society, the Bar Council has warned. It said it was “surprised and disappointed” at the tone of Chancery Lane’s practice note.
SRA needs to hold "overzealous lawyers" to account for advice that enables client wrongdoing
Transactional lawyers should be held accountable if their advice is used by clients for unlawful acts and strict conduct rules are necessary to police this rather than an outcomes-focused principle, law academics have argued.
Small firms left at the altar as mid-sized practices eye merger opportunities
Mid-sized law firms are looking more likely to secure mergers in the coming months than their smaller brethren, new research has indicated. The survey of 92 firms found that most of the firms that had received or made multiple approaches had at least 10 partners.
Law Society hits out at 'inadequate' client-care rules in Bar's new public access training
The Bar Standards Board’s plans to strengthen public access training for newly qualified barristers in client care are inadequate and should include extensive supervision to ensure competence as is required of trainee solicitors, according to the Law Society.
Simplify the Law owner unveils cash injection from external investor
Evident Legal, the law firm franchise turned online legal service Simplify the Law, has secured a cash injection from a venture capitalist to help it grow. The investor, ARC InterCapital, was set up by former Goldman Sachs vice-president Andrew Dixon.
