Practice Management
Slater & Gordon brings Captain Cook on board as it also launches employee share scheme
The announcement yesterday that Alastair Cook has become a brand ambassador for Slater & Gordon failed to spark a turnaround in the embattled England cricket captain’s fortunes, as he was out for just five in the first Test against India.
High Court rules that identity of client is covered by privilege
The High Court has rejected a bid to force a law firm to disclose the identity of a former client who revealed confidential information in an anonymous blog.
ABI joins critics of lower indemnity insurance limit
The Association of British Insurers has joined the chorus of criticism of the Solicitors Regulation Authority’s decision to cut the minimum level of professional indemnity insurance to £500,000. SRA consultees were opposed by nearly 3:1, it has also emerged.
Law Society signs joint venture deal to create conveyancing portal
The Law Society has teamed up with software company Mastek UK Limited to deliver its conveyancing portal, which aims to speed up the home-buying process. The pair have set up a joint venture company called Legal Practice Technologies Ltd.
SRA goes ahead with £500,000 PII limit but postpones other reforms
The Solicitors Regulation Authority has decided to go ahead with cutting the minimum compulsory cover for indemnity insurance from £2m to £500,000, despite strong opposition from the Law Society.
Smaller law firms “face battle to keep junior partners” as HMRC deadline looms
Smaller law firms are struggling to retain their junior partners in advance of tough new capital requirements set out by HM Revenue & Customs in its crackdown on fixed-share partners avoiding PAYE tax, an executive search firm has claimed.
Revealed: Law Society’s plans for £400,000 advertising campaign – and staff “story telling tool”
The Law Society is to spend £400,000 on its annual advertising campaign, which will this year be focused mainly on a range of private client services from solicitors, Legal Futures can reveal.
Law Society targets anti-solicitor websites as it turns up heat over Wonga's fake firms
The Law Society is planning to use the European Court of Justice’s ruling on the right to be forgotten online to challenge anti-solicitor websites. The news comes as the society said it was to write to the FCA, SRA and police over Wonga’s use of bogus law firms.
Project pits women’s success stories against “negative narrative of diversity debate”
A five-year project to celebrate the achievements of women lawyers has been launched, culminating at the centenary of the Act of Parliament which abolished the bar on their entry into the profession.
Law Society spending to rise but cost of practising to fall significantly
The Law Society is set to reduce the cost of practising by around 20%, even though its budget is going up in 2014/15. The net funding requirement for the next financial year is £116.7m, a 3.7% increase on this year’s budget.
Lawyers on Demand heads north to spread the word on alternative resourcing
Alternative legal services provider Lawyers On Demand (LOD) has launched a Manchester ‘hub’, its first outside of London, in a bid to expand its ‘on site’ model of placing freelance lawyers into companies.
Pinsents “an example to other big firms” on Twitter use, report says
Pinsent Masons is an example to other law firms on how to make the most of a Twitter account, while the ‘private’ setting on Slaughter and May’s account makes it the firm not to emulate, according to a report on the use of social media by large City law firms.
Bott & Co lining up “series of niches” to follow aviation success
Flight compensation specialist Bott & Co is lining up a “series of similar niches” in the consumer world to capitalise on its successes with aviation, with a focus on IT, processes and client care.
Survey: solicitors healthy but workload and client expectations cause severe stress
One in six solicitors complain of being under severe stress, although almost nine out ten reported they were in good health – substantially more than workers among the general population, according to Law Society research.
Financial adviser rating and review website sets sights on solicitors
A website which claims to have published 10,000 reviews from clients of independent financial advisers (IFAs) and mortgage brokers is seeking to move on to solicitors.
Blog
The trade-off mid-sized firm partners think they’re making
Most of the partners I talk to describe the same tension. They want the firm to run efficiently and hit its numbers, but they also want their people to feel supported, developed and fairly treated.
Communication as the core of client care in conveyancing
How a conveyancer approaches client care – particularly in relation to communication – can be the greatest differentiator for the success of a conveyancing firm.
Why brilliant lawyers sometimes fail
A question that often strikes a chord with partners in law firms is this: why is it that individuals who excel in one role sometimes struggle when promoted into another?
Reports
Associates
