Practice Management

Lawyers2you is to become the first legal network to take on London when it launches its first franchise in the east of the city shortly, Legal Futures can reveal. The news comes after it faced criticism in the press for an A-board it used in central Birmingham.

The vast majority of law firms are non-compliant with the Solicitors Code of Conduct, research by the Solicitors Regulation Authority has found. Most of the 200 firms assessed had four or five incidences of non-compliance.

Merger and acquisition activity is becoming a far greater strategic priority among the largest law firms, new research has shown – although most still remain wary of alternative business structures. It also highlighted how top firms are being forced to offer fixed fees.

Lawyers are focusing their search engine optimisation (SEO) tactics on the wrong keywords and can convert more work by targeting so-called ‘long tail’ keyword searches, digital marketing experts have claimed.

It is not essential that the retainer between solicitor and client is in writing, the High Court has ruled. London firm Fladgate successfully sued client Lee Harrison for £63,332 in unpaid fees for work done in a corporate restructuring.

Our latest news round-up reports on an apology over the sudden change in the Legal Ombudsman’s address, which affects all lawyers, a unique agreement between a law firm and a barrister, a crucial ruling on interest on costs, and the exit of the CLC’s chief executive.

Law firms are “their own competitors” because the poor way many deal with telephone enquiries is pushing away nearly half of their potential clients, a mystery shopping exercise has concluded. Nearly half said they would actively encourage people not to use the firm they called.

Our latest news round-up reports on a barrister jailed after stealing £72,500 from his chambers, more problems with the SRA’s online PC renewal system, surveys on fixed fees and compliance, and the appeal court upholding a ruling against a firm innocently caught up in mortgage fraud.

Rocket Lawyer, the Google-backed US online legal document service, is on track to launch in the UK later this year, with lawyers set to be offered the chance to join its panel from next month, Legal Futures can reveal.

Conveyancers will soon be responsible for making commercial clients aware of capital allowances reports and should be careful not to be caught out or risk a negligence action, a tax expert has warned.

Law firms are overwhelmingly failing to follow up referrals for basic legal work from comparison websites, in what is described today as a “massive own goal by the profession”. In a mystery shopping exercise, eight out of ten online referral requests for a simple will were ignored.

Niche City litigation firm Bivonas has failed to overturn a ruling that it discriminated against an employed barrister on the basis of his sexual orientation. However, the College of Law and SRA have defeated a disability discrimination claim brought by an LPC student.

The recession and continuing economic challenges highlight the increasing importance of law firms having an effective business strategy in place that considers the ambitions of the firm but ensures that those ambitions are delivered against access to suitable levels of cash flow. By Legal Futures Associate NatWest

Lawyers were this week told not to be discouraged from embracing social media after a barrister who was among the legal pioneers on Twitter was fined for messages he posted on the service. However, the case does raise questions over the role of regulators in policing lawyers’ activity on Twitter.

A new service has been launched that allows solicitors to contact numerous sets of barristers chambers simultaneously to check what counsel are available for a case they are looking to cover. Meanwhile, another online service aimed at helping consumers find tradesmen is now targeting the legal market.