Practice Management

This decade will see the emergence of a new wave of global law firms, driven by the accelerated worldwide legal needs of the largest companies, new research has predicted. It suggest an increasing role for outsourcing as clients become more sophisticated.

Patricia Wheatley Burt (FCIPD), a director of Legal Futures Associate Trafalgar, argues that firms need to develop strategies to retain older lawyers, for everyone’s benefit.

A solicitor has good reason to terminate a retainer if a client insists on putting forward a case and instructing counsel to advance contentions that they do not consider properly arguable, the Court of Appeal has ruled.

There should be a new core duty on financial management, along with requirements that firms disclose financial problems to their regulator, in the Solicitors Code of Conduct, the SRA has been advised.

The Law Society has clarified to what extent solicitors should tell clients certain details about their professional indemnity insurance.

Alison Gorringe, chief executive of the Institute of Legal Cashiers & Administrators, looks at some of the issues around the Solicitors Accounts Rules, such as what to do with small balances left over on a file.

Insurance mediation does not sound like the kind of thing solicitors do, but in fact many are involved in it and their knowledge of the rules around it are often sketchy. Alan Bannister of Vizards Wyeth outlines the main issues.

The in-house lawyer who made waves last year with a landmark legal process outsourcing agreement with CPA Global has now joined the outsourcing company.

In the current economic climate, it is rare to hear of an industry that is said to be booming. However, one sector that is continuously hitting the headlines with record-breaking deals at the moment is the legal process outsourcing sector.

North Yorkshire firm Coles turned to technology to make its services more accessible and affordable, explains Epoq, a Legal Futures Associate.

The experience of north-west law firm Farleys shows how an online service delivery capability can help law firms meet the challenges presented by the Legal Services Act, explains Epoq, a Legal Futures Associate.

India remains the top destination for legal process outsourcing (LPO), according to research by leading LPO consultancy Fronterion.

To address a profoundly changing legal landscape, law firms and corporate counsel are exploring new models for delivering legal services. One of the most compelling legal service delivery models will be outsourcing. Here are Fronterion’s Top Ten Trends for Legal Outsourcing in 2010.

Chris Marston, Head of Professional Practices at Lloyds TSB Commercial, a Legal Futures Associate, offers a view on financial issues for law firms as the economy recovers.

Private equity interest in legal process outsourcing (LPO) stepped up in late January after Intermediate Capital Group (ICG) acquired a significant minority stake CPA Global, investing alongside the company’s senior management team and the founding shareholders.