SRA and BSB investigate virtual consumer network to improve engagement with public
The Solicitors Regulation Authority and Bar Standards Board are in discussions about creating a joint online consumer network involving the general public, Legal Futures has learned. The move follows pressure from the Legal Services Consumer Panel for the frontline regulators to improve engagement with consumers
The mainstream revolutionary
In the first of a two-part interview to mark publication of the updated edition of his book, The End of Lawyers?, Professor Richard Susskind tells Legal Futures Editor Neil Rose how the recession and the growth of legal process outsourcing are changing lawyers’ attitudes to change.
“Golden age” of Bar is over but chambers that embrace business can still thrive
The “golden age” is over for barristers as the Bar faces falling income and shrinking numbers, a new report has claimed. However, the Bar still has “an enormous amount in its favour”, according to leading legal consultancy Jomati, which also found evidence of a correlation between the best-performing sets and large numbers of QCs and marketing staff.
Susskind: fail to embrace “legal process management” and lose out to new players
Law firms that fail to embrace “legal process management” will quickly lose out to new competitors, such as accounting firms, legal publishers and businesses fuelled by external investment, Professor Richard Susskind has warned. The legal IT and strategy guru has also criticised the approach of many large firms to making cuts during the recession.
Weekly round-up: aptitude tests, Susskind, firms squeezed and overblown reputations
This week’s round-up of other relevant news and comment on the web takes in reaction to our story on an aptitude test for LPC students, Professor Richard Susskind’s thoughts ahead of an updated version of his book coming out, fears of big financial pressures on law firms, a survey that shows solicitors think too much of their own reputation, and much more.
BSB to focus on four key areas of compliance as it rolls out chambers monitoring
Every chambers in England and Wales is to be quizzed on their approach to equality and diversity as part of a new monitoring scheme being rolled out by the Bar Standards Board. The 791 chambers (of which 391 are registered as sole practitioners) are also to face questions on how they handle complaints, their policies on pupillage, and compliance with anti-money laundering rules.
RBS: “huge opportunity” for big brands to dominate £15bn legal services market
There is a £15bn market in consumer and small business legal services and big brands “have the potential to dominate” it in the future, a senior representative of Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) said this week.
Legal advice revolution? New £50 service for big brands to sell to customers revealed
Some of the biggest brand names in the UK will shortly have access to a legal advice and assistance package for their customers costing around £50 a year, Legal Futures can reveal. CPP Group plc, which provides services via over 200 businesses worldwide – including Tesco, Marks & Spencer, Barclays and HSBC – has developed a product which will give consumers access to everyday consumer advice, a range of legal services, and relevant membership discounts and offers.
High Court grants SRA first order to force bank to provide information
The High Court has granted the first order requiring a third party to provide the Solicitors Regulation Authority with information, it has emerged. SRA papers reveal that the High Court granted the order against a bank to assist in a serious and continuing investigation.
Law firms will have eight weeks to resolve complaints before ombudsman can step in
Lawyers will have a maximum of eight weeks to resolve complaints before the Legal Ombudsman will agree to investigate, the new service has confirmed, but it may ask them why they did not deal with them even quicker.
