Exclusive: Barristers’ chambers sets up ABS to attract overseas clients – Legal Futures

‘A barristers’ chambers is set to launch an alternative business structure (ABS) to help it obtain international work, because it will give the appearance of a solicitors’ firm to foreign clients who do not understand direct access.’

Full story

Legal Futures, 24th September 2015

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Slow off the blocks? BSB regulates fewer firms than expected as ABS launch date slips further – Legal Futures

‘The Bar Standards Board (BSB), which predicted at one point last year that it would authorise 400 firms in 2015, has approved only 32 in its first four months as an entity regulator, it has emerged.’

Full story

Legal Futures, 4th August 2015

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

LSB Chief Executive speaks at Westminster Legal Policy Forum event on innovation in legal services – Legal Services Board

‘The Legal Services Board Chief Executive Richard Moriarty spoke at the Westminster Legal Policy Forum event: Innovation in legal services market – growth, skills and new business models.’

Full speech

Legal Services Board, 9th July 2015

Source: www.legalservicesboard.org.uk

The innovation game – Legal Futures

Posted July 9th, 2015 in alternative business structures, law firms, legal services, news by sally

‘Innovation is a word much bandied around in the law – on this website more than most – without always a crystal clear idea of what it means.’

Full story

Legal Futures, 7th July 2015

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Legal professionals are becoming more innovative in running their businesses but more is needed – Legal Services Board

‘Findings from the largest ever study of innovation in the legal sector, commissioned by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) and the Legal Services Board (LSB), suggest that legal professionals ,including solicitors and barristers, are becoming more innovative in the organisation and management of their business.’
Full story

Legal Services Board, 7th July 2015

Source: www.legalservicesboard.org.uk

BSB seeks power to shut down chambers – Legal Futures

‘The Bar Standards Board (BSB) has proposed that it should be given, for the first time, the power to intervene in barristers’ practices and chambers.’

Full story

Legal Futures, 15th May 2015

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

High Court rejects challenge to closure of ABS from solicitor who “lost ethical compass” – Legal Futures

‘The High Court has rejected a challenge to the closure of an alternative business structure by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA). It was the first time an ABS closure decision has been tested in the High Court.’

Full story

Legal Futures, 13th May 2015

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Single-person ‘firms’ dominate first tranche of barrister entities – Legal Futures

Posted April 27th, 2015 in alternative business structures, barristers, indemnities, insurance, news by sally

‘All but one of the entities authorised by the Bar Standards Board since the beginning of this month consist of a single barrister, with the other made up of two barristers, it has emerged.’

Full story

Legal Futures, 27th April 2015

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Unnecessary ABS approval rules to be scrapped in latest regulation bonfire – Legal Futures

‘The rule which requires the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) to approve the individuals who own companies that in turn own alternative business structures (ABSs) is set to be scrapped, it announced yesterday.’

Full story

Legal Futures, 17th April 2015

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

New legal services businesses now being authorised by regulator – Bar Standards Board

Posted April 10th, 2015 in alternative business structures, barristers, press releases by tracey

‘The barristers’ regulator, the Bar Standards Board (BSB), has today approved 15 new businesses as it begins authorising BSB-regulated entities – companies or partnerships that provide advocacy, litigation, and expert legal advice services.’

Full press release

Bar Standards Board, 8th April 2015

Source: www.barstandardsboard.org.uk

Regulator confirms minimum insurance terms for entities – Bar Standards Board

‘The Bar Standards Board (BSB) has today [24 March] published the minimum terms of the professional indemnity insurance it expects BSB-regulated businesses (“entities”) to have in place.’

Full story

Bar Standards Board, 24th March 2015

Source: www.barstandardsboard.org.uk

“Tesco Law” in theory will be “Asda Law” in reality – The Future of Law

Posted January 20th, 2015 in alternative business structures, law firms, news by sally

‘In the run up to the Legal Services Act and its “aftermath” the name that came to symbolise the supposed rise of consumer brands entering the legal market was Tesco.’

Full story

The Future of Law, 19th January 2015

Source: www.blogs.lexisnexis.co.uk

A new era for the Bar beckons as barristers can now apply to set up new business models without changing regulators – Bar Standard Board

Posted January 6th, 2015 in alternative business structures, barristers, legal profession, news by sally

‘From today, 5 January 2015, the Bar Standards Board (BSB) will accept applications from those wishing to set up BSB-regulated businesses (“entities”), owned and managed by lawyers, and which provide “reserved legal activities” such as appearing in court as an advocate. The barristers’ regulator is due to begin authorising applications in April this year.’

Full story

Bar Standards Board, 5th January 2015

Source: www.barstandardsboard.org.uk

Lawyers and their Regulators: What Next? – Nicholas Lavender QC, Chairman of the Bar Council

Lawyers and their Regulators: What Next? (PDF)

Nicholas Lavender QC, Chairman of the Bar Council

The Bar Council, 24th November 2014

Source: www.barcouncil.org.uk

What could be the global impact of the UK’s Legal Services Act? – OUP Blog

Posted November 10th, 2014 in alternative business structures, competition, legal services, news by sally

‘In 2007, the UK Parliament passed the Legal Services Act (LSA), with the goal of liberalizing the market for legal services in England and Wales and encouraging more competition—in response to the governmentally commissioned ‘Clementi’ report finding the British legal market opaque, inflexible, overly complex, and insulated from innovation and competition.’

Full story

OUP Blog, 8th November 2014

Source: www.blog.oup.com

“Do not dismiss ABSs,” Lord Judge tells criminal law barristers – Legal Futures

‘Lord Judge, the former Lord Chief Justice, has warned criminal law barristers that the “old-fashioned chambers structures must be reconsidered” and they must not dismiss alternative business structures (ABSs) “out of hand”.’

Full story

Legal Futures, 31st October 2014

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

LSB attacks “arbitrary nature” of separate business rule – Legal Futures

‘The Legal Services Board (LSB) has attacked the “arbitrary nature” of the separate business rule used by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA), and said the list of what is permitted and what is not is “confusing”.’

Full story

Legal Futures, 10th October 2014

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Legal Ombudsman outlines test for dealing with complaints about MDPs – Legal Futures

‘The Legal Ombudsman (LeO) has introduced a policy for dealing with complaints about organisations which provide non-legal as well as legal services, such as some alternative business structures (ABSs) and, shortly, accountants who offer probate advice.’

Full story

Legal Futures, 19th September 2014

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

MPs approve probate and conveyancing rights for legal executives – Legal Futures

‘The Chartered Institute of Legal Executives (CILEx) has won the approval of the House of Commons to grant its members rights to conduct reserved probate and conveyancing work.’

Full story

Legal Futures, 10th September 2014

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Barrister led ABS: too much to take on? – The Future of Law

Posted August 1st, 2014 in alternative business structures, barristers, legal services, news by sally

‘There is a mystique to the Bar of England and Wales, designed to present a timeless image of legal practitioners. Working in rabbit warrens around the Temple, wearing robes and a horsehair wig, and dealing with only the highest levels of legal thought, it is a façade that conceals some very radical ambitions for change.’

Full story

The Future of Law, 31st July 2014

Source: www.futureoflaw.lexisnexis.co.uk