Barristers lay out plans for range of new entities – Legal Futures

Posted July 1st, 2014 in alternative business structures, barristers, news by sally

‘Barristers are looking at creating a wide range of legal businesses – with solicitors, paralegals and others – once the Bar Standards Board’s (BSB) application to become an entity regulator is approved, it has emerged.’

Full story

Legal Futures, 1st July 2014

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Barristers move towards ABS, survey says – Legal Futures

Posted June 19th, 2014 in alternative business structures, barristers, news, statistics by sally

‘Nearly one in five criminal and family barristers are considering joining alternative business structures (ABS) with non-lawyer owners, while four out of 10 of all barristers plan to apply, or are thinking of applying, for authorisation to conduct litigation, according to a major survey.’

Full story

Legal Futures, 19th June 2014

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Are judges and opposing parties targeting lawyers? Recent cases suggest they are – Legal Futures

Posted February 13th, 2014 in alternative business structures, costs, law firms, news, solicitors by sally

‘A string of recent cases indicate that judges may be increasingly tempted to remind solicitors of their duty to act impartially in litigation, in an era of alternative business structures (ABSs) where their loyalties might be tested, according to a leading criminal lawyer.’

Full story

Legal Futures, 13th February 2014

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Launch of the Bar Standards Board handbook; challenges and opportunities – Attorney General’s Office

‘Attorney General Dominic Grieve QC MP keynote speech at the launch of new Bar Standards Board handbook.’

Full story

Attorney General’s Office,

Source: www.gov.uk/ago

Criminal law barristers urged to embrace new business structures to survive – Legal Futures

Posted December 19th, 2013 in alternative business structures, barristers, competition, legal services, news by tracey

‘Criminal law barristers need to consider significant changes to their business models if they are to remain competitive, the Legal Services Board (LSB) has argued. In its submission to the Ministry of Justice-commissioned Jeffrey review of the provision of independent criminal advocacy, the LSB identified continued market liberalisation as one of the reasons the government did not need to intervene.’

Full story

Legal Futures, 18th December 2013

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Future Regulation – forward or backward ? – Legal Services Board

Future Regulation – forward or backward? (PDF)

Legal Services Board, 3rd December 2013

Source: www.legalservicesboard.org.uk

Legal Services Board clarifies position on special bodies and ABS – Legal Services Board

“Legal Services Board clarifies its stance on licensing special bodies as alternative business structures (ABS).”

Full story

Legal Services Board, 26th September 2013

Source: www.legalservicesboard.org.uk/

Barristers join the revolution after receiving green light to conduct litigation – Legal Futures

“Barristers will be allowed to conduct litigation and form associations with non-barristers after the Legal Services Board approved the new Bar Standards Board (BSB) code of conduct.”

Full story

Legal Futures, 25th July 2013

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

New BSB Handbook to give barristers more freedom and flexibility – Bar Standards Board

“Numerous practising restrictions will soon be lifted after the Legal Services Board approved the new Bar Standards Board (BSB) Code of Conduct for barristers. The revised Code will form part II of the new BSB ‘Handbook’, which brings together all the BSB’s regulations into one publication. The new publication will come into effect from January 2014.”

Full press release

Bar Standards Board, 24th July 2013

Source: www.barstandardsboard.org.uk

Interview: Lucy Scott-Moncrieff – Law Society’s Gazette

“It was a fitting end to a year’s presidency that has witnessed unprecedented changes in the way legal services are funded and delivered. On 1 July, just 10 days before she is to step down, Lucy Scott-Moncrieff was able to tell the profession that government has at last bowed to Law Society pressure and agreed to retain client choice at the heart of the criminal legal aid system.”

Full story

Law Society’s Gazette, 8th July 2013

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Bar gets into shape for ABSs – Law Society’s Gazette

“The Bar Standards Board is simplifying criteria for approving new business entities, ahead of an application to become a licensing authority for alternative business structures.”

Full story

Law Soceity’s Gazette, 28th June 2013

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Regulator widens criteria for entity approval – Bar Standards Board

Posted June 25th, 2013 in alternative business structures, barristers, news by sally

“It will be easier for barristers to set up legal businesses after the Bar Standards Board agreed last week to make the criteria for approving new entities more flexible.”

Full story

Bar Standards Board, 24th June 2013

Source: www.barstandardsboard.org.uk

SRA and Legal Services Board tussle over ABS application process – Legal Futures

“The Legal Services Board (LSB) has been critical of the length of the time the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) has taken to approve alternative business structures (ABSs), it has emerged.”

Full story

Legal Futures, 20th June 2013

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Chambers becomes first ABS licensed by the SRA without a solicitor – Legal Futures

“A London chambers has become the first alternative business structure (ABS) licensed by the Solicitors Regulation Authority that does not have any solicitors.”

Full story

Legal Futures, 11th June 2013

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Growing amount of legal work can be “de-lawyered”, says LSB director – Legal Futures

“A growing amount of legal work could be ‘de-lawyered’ and provided by organisations that offer a wide range of legal and non-legal services, the strategy director of the Legal Services Board (LSB) has suggested.”

Full story

Legal Futures, 4th June 2013

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Is that it for ABSs? – Legal Futures

“There will be plenty of lawyers crowing over the failure of In-Deed Online. Expect a lot of ‘I told you so-ing’. It will be used as evidence that alternative business structures (ABSs) are flawed and that the much-heralded change in the legal market will prove to be a bust.”

Full story

Legal Futures, 3rd June 2013

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Interview: Chris Grayling – Law Society’s Gazette

“In his foreword to the consultation on ‘transforming’ legal aid, justice secretary Chris Grayling explains that change is needed to ‘boost public confidence’ and cut costs, which he claims have ‘spiralled out of control’. Speaking to the Gazette, he offers no empirical evidence that the public has lost confidence in the system. But he claims to have received ‘lots of letters and emails’ from people concerned about legal aid entitlement. He alludes to prisoners getting legal aid ‘to argue they should have a different cell’, and migrants receiving civil legal aid.”

Full story

Law Society’s Gazette, 20th May 2013

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Cut Price Justice – Garden Court Chambers Blog

“Anna Morris explains why the legal profession and the public must unite to oppose the government’s attack on legal aid.”

Full story

Garden Court Chambers Blog, 20th May 2013

Source: www.gclaw.wordpress.com

Bar Standards Board extends first registration phase for QASA – Bar Standards Board

“The Bar Standards Board will extend the first QASA registration period to ensure that the Criminal Bar will have more time to consider the consequences of government changes to legal aid before registering. The end of the first registration period will now be 9 March 2014, which will be after the Ministry of Justice publishes its final response to the consultation, ‘Transforming legal aid: delivering a more credible and efficient system’.”

Full press release

Bar Standards Board, 10th May 2013

Source: www.barstandardsboard.org.uk

Barristers to have tools to compete with solicitors as BSB seeks approval for liberalisation – Legal Futures

Posted May 3rd, 2013 in alternative business structures, barristers, legal services, news by tracey

“An end to the bans on self-employed barristers conducting litigation and sharing premises or forming associations with non-barristers is in sight as the Bar Standards Board (BSB) laid out the first stage of its major liberalisation programme.”

Full story

Legal Futures, 3rd May 2013

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk