The Bar through a generational lens
Ian Dodd considers the background and motivations of the four ‘generations’ of barristers currently populating the Bar, from the ‘Veterans’ to Generation Y, and says chambers would do well to ensure that all are properly involved in their management.
Law Society and SRA unveil deal to resolve longstanding governance wrangling
The Law Society and Solicitors Regulation Authority have hammered out “a permanent resolution” of their long-running internal governance issues, the pair announced yesterday, ensuring regulation is independent from representation at Chancery Lane.
New business with cash to spend enters litigation funding market as Allianz pulls out
A new third-party litigation funder has entered the market with “deep pockets” as one of the early players bows out, Legal Futures can report. Managed Legal Solutions has £20m of funding and will even back ancillary relief cases.
SRA: BME solicitors face increasingly disproportionate number of conduct complaints
The proportion of black and minority ethnic solicitors (BME) named in complaints about conduct to the Solicitors Regulation Authority surged last year, the third year in which the figure has risen. BME solicitors comprised 27% of all conduct complaints.
The big partnership debate: leave it in the past or embrace it for the future?
Is partnership an “inefficient and unattractive” structure that should be ditched to survive in the new legal marketplace, or is it a viable current model with much to offer lawyers wanting flexible governance and discretion? Both sides were put at a conference this week.
In-Deed: we will invest in law firms to build consumer legal brand
AIM-listed In-Deed has today become the first business to announce its explicit intention to invest in law firms. The company is looking for approaches from “successful and profitable provincial legal practices” to help make In-Deed a leading consumer legal brand.
Solicitors paid record-equalling £256m for indemnity insurance this year
Solicitors paid £256m for the compulsory layer of professional indemnity insurance – the highest amount since the first year of buying insurance on the open market – Solicitors Regulation Authority figures have shown.
SRA eyes expanded international reach by offering to regulate foreign firms
Foreign law firms could choose to be regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority under proposals put forward yesterday. An SRA green paper also suggests introducing a single “passport to practice” for firms with multiple overseas offices.
Banning referral fees and then cutting RTA portal costs will have “devastating” impact
It is full steam ahead at the Ministry of Justice with the Jackson reforms, but do the figures add up? If they do, what do they add up to? Amanda Ashton of Compass Costs crunches the figures on the impact a reduction in RTA portal fees will have in the event referral fees are banned
Pro bono panel calls for more public legal education and says ABSs may help
It is essential for law firms to offer better public legal education – including getting into schools, according to the Master of the Rolls – while alternative business structures could help pro bono provision, it was claimed at the launch of National Pro Bono Week on Monday.
