SRA urged to monitor fairness of its decision-making under OFR
Decisions taken by the Solicitors Regulation Authority under outcomes-focused regulation need to be urgently monitored to ensure they are fair to ethnic minority lawyers, an internal report has said. The SRA has also provided an update on its online renewal system.
Survey: home-movers not keen on big brands for conveyancing – high street solicitors do the job
Consumers are generally happy with high street conveyancers and by contrast very cool about the idea of going to a big brand to help them move house, a major new opinion poll has found. YouGov surveyed 1,959 people who had bought a house in the last two years.
Co-op plans immediate ABS application
Co-operative Legal Services has confirmed that it intends to submit its bid to become an alternative business structure on 3 January 2012 – the day the Solicitors Regulation Authority will begin accepting applications.
PwC to explore option of becoming an ABS and absorbing its legal arm
Big four accountancy firm PwC is to explore whether to absorb its associated law firm and become an alternative business structure. Legal services is the one area of the firm’s work where it is not able to operate as a totally integrated practice.
Law Society urges government to reconsider refusal to intervene in case on in-house lawyer privilege
The Law Society has urged the government to reconsider a decision not to intervene in a European case that Chancery Lane claims opens up a new front in the battle over for whether companies can claim legal professional privilege for dealings with their in-house lawyers.
"Unprecedented rise" in number of students training to become costs lawyers
The number of people choosing to train as a costs lawyer has almost doubled during 2011 as the impact of several major forces – including the Jackson reforms and the Legal Services Act – are felt in the costs sector, the Association of Costs Lawyers has reported.
ABSs and fixed fees are answer to charities' legal advice deficit, says consumer panel report
Alternative business structures could be decisive in helping smaller charities access legal advice with fixed fees, according to research which shows many lack understanding of their legal needs and cannot afford solicitors.
Bar Council working on scheme that enables barristers to hold client money
The Bar Council has begun work on providing central client account facilities for barristers, it emerged last night as incoming chairman Michael Todd QC set out his stall for 2012 with a call for barristers to invest in their future.
Former Mishcons partner convicted of forgery and fraud offences
A former partner of London law firm Mishcon de Reya was yesterday convicted of forgery and two fraud offences aimed at conning a bank out of €22m. Kevin James Steele, 51 of Kent, will be sentenced on 9 January 2012.
Exclusive: video-conferencing kiosks hit shopping centres in new legal advice push
The first video-conferencing kiosk to give instant access to a solicitor will be launched in a shopping centre this month, Legal Futures can reveal. Instant Law UK, which plans 120 kiosks by the end of 2012, will add a home-user service next month.
