LeO: regulation struggling to keep up with online legal services and other innovations
The overlap between regulated and unregulated legal services is causing consumer confusion, with online services emerging as a particular problem, the Legal Ombudsman (LeO) has warned. LeO said it needs more clarity about the limits of its jurisdiction as the market is already changing and innovating.
15 south Wales law firms join forces with chambers to bid for criminal contract
Fifteen south Wales law firms are set to merge back-office operations and link up with a leading chambers with a view to bidding for a criminal legal aid contract as a single business. It is a move that could foreshadow the future organisation of criminal defence work.
Seriously injured and disabled could suffer under Jackson reforms, MPs warn
The Jackson reforms could “impact negatively on some of the most seriously injured or disabled claimants”, an influential committee of MPs has warned. It also called for a review of the regulation of claims management companies amid concerns about their role in clinical negligence claims.
Commercial lawyers “are failing to understand their clients”, reports survey
A sizeable slice of corporate lawyers is misunderstanding the fundamental drivers of client satisfaction, according to new research which also found that less than a fifth of general counsel have final choice over selecting external legal advisers.
A single regulator for all lawyers post-ABS is “logical and plausible”, says LSB report
A single regulator for all legal services is “logical and plausible”, but not inevitable, a report for the Legal Services Board has concluded. Former Ministry of Justice official Nick Smedley argued that the existence of multiple regulators “focused on the differences of individual practitioners” is unlikely to be relevant in a post-alternative business structures market.
Consumers have benefited from legal reforms but still “lack power”, says report
The four years since the Legal Services Act have seen “positive changes” for consumers, but many problems persist, the first ever assessment of the reforms has concluded. The consumer impact report, published today by the Legal Services Consumer Panel, says consumers usually get the outcomes they want and most are happy with the service they receive – although it points out that they have little experience against which to judge this.
Would you have spent £90K on your law degree? Half of lawyers say “No”
Increases in tuition fees means the overall cost of a law degree is nearly £90,000 and only half of lawyers would have gone to university had it cost as much when they studied, a survey has found. Legal recruiter Laurence Simons argued that this shows UK universities are failing and need to adopt the controversial approach of the philosopher AC Grayling, who is setting up a new private university, and also embrace apprenticeships.
ICAEW bids to regulate accountant-led ABSs on back of probate rights application
The Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW) is investigating how it can license accountancy firms to become alternative business structures and provide legal advice to clients, Legal Futures can reveal. The ICAEW is set first to apply for the right to regulate its members to provide reserved probate activities.
Insurer blames SRA after opting not to enter solicitors’ professional indemnity market
A potential new professional indemnity insurer has blamed the Solicitors Regulation Authority’s failure to tackle the market’s problems more quickly as the reason it will not be offering cover to law firms this year.
New research on aptitude tests warns of potential inherent bias
There are a number of risks and dangers associated with using an aptitude test to select law students – particularly that it will favour those from privileged and certain class and ethnic backgrounds – a report commissioned by the Legal Services Board has concluded.
