Keep calm and carry on: BSB finds no evidence of “widespread change” at the Bar – Legal Futures

Posted May 31st, 2017 in barristers, fees, legal services, news by sally

‘Widespread change” is yet to happen at the Bar, with only a small minority of barristers planning to change the way they work or charge fees, a report for the Bar Standards Board (BSB) has found.’

Full Story

Legal Futures, 31st May 2017

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

High Court ticks off unregulated legal business for not being clearer about its status – Legal Futures

Posted May 19th, 2017 in barristers, law firms, legal services, news by tracey

‘The High Court has criticised an unregulated legal business run by a unregistered barrister for “sailing too close to the wind” by failing to be clear in correspondence that it was not a solicitors’ firm.’

Full story

Legal Futures, 19th May 2017

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Third Party Litigation Funding Continues to Grow – Litigation Futures

Posted May 4th, 2017 in legal services, news, third parties by sally

‘With court fees rising and litigation becoming increasingly expensive, third party litigation funding continues to grow. There are various reasons clients may want to consider litigation funding, such as the need for a cash injection to enable them to get their case off the ground or the desire to take the litigation risk off their balance sheet and avoid having funds tied up in lengthy legal battles. Litigation funding can also be a useful tool for solicitors as it can provide payment of their fees where a client does not have the funds to continue with the litigation.

Full story

Litigation Futures, 3rd May 2017

Source: www.litigationfutures.com

London’s legal eminence will survive Brexit, LCJ insists – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted April 26th, 2017 in brexit, EC law, legal services, London, news, referendums, treaties by sally

‘Brexit will not harm London’s status as a centre for dispute resolution, the lord chief justice has assured Chinese colleagues. In a speech to the National Judges College in Beijing earlier this month and circulated by HM Judiciary today, Lord Thomas of Cwmgiedd took English contract law as an illustration of why Brexit will have ‘no effect on London’s key strengths’.’

Full story

Law Society’s Gazette, 25th April 2017

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Here comes Billy, the robot junior clerk – Legal Futures

‘Innovative chambers Clerksroom is building Billy.Bot, a ‘robot junior clerk’ that will do the work of a traditional barristers’ clerk and also provide basic legal information to online users, Legal Futures can reveal.’

Full story

Legal Futures, 13th April 2017

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Let lawyers control supply of electronic legal documents, report says – Legal Futures

Posted April 12th, 2017 in consumer protection, documents, internet, legal services, news by sally

‘Lawyers should control the supply of “so-called standard electronic documents”, such as confidentiality deeds or contracts, a report has suggested.’

Full story

Legal Futures, 11th April 2017

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Shared legal service terminated after requirements of partner councils change – Local Government Lawyer

‘The shared legal service between Spelthorne Borough Council and Reigate & Banstead Borough Council came to an end last month after three years, it has emerged.’

Full story

Local Government Lawyer, 11th April 2017

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Impact of Brexit on legal services “a cause for concern”, justice committee says – Legal Futures

‘The justice select committee has described the impact of Brexit on legal services as “a cause for concern, but not hyberbole”, in a report published today.’

Full story

Legal Futures, 22nd March 2017

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Public access work grows six-fold in only five years – Legal Futures

Posted March 21st, 2017 in barristers, legal representation, legal services, news, statistics by tracey

‘The value of public access work carried out by barristers as a proportion of the profession’s income grew six-fold over just five years, according to new figures seen by Legal Futures.’

Full story

Legal Futures, 21st March 2017

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Schemes allowing barristers to receive instructions without solicitors are working well, BSB’s latest review finds – Bar Standards Board

Posted March 17th, 2017 in barristers, legal services, licensing, reports by tracey

‘The Bar Standards Board (BSB) has today published the results of a review into the Public and Licensed Access schemes. These schemes allow members of the public and other lay clients to instruct barristers directly without first instructing a solicitor or other intermediary.’

Full report

Bar Standards Board, 15th March 2017

Source: www.barstandardsboard.org.uk

Solicitor-free access ‘working well’, claims bar – Law society’s Gazette

Posted March 16th, 2017 in barristers, legal representation, legal services, news by tracey

‘Methods that allow members of the public and lay clients to instruct barristers directly without turning to a solicitor first are working well, the barristers’ regulator has claimed.’

Full story

Law Society’s Gazette, 15th March 2017

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

MPs urge government to preserve access to European legal services market – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted March 10th, 2017 in international relations, legal services, markets, news, select committees by sally

‘Preserving access to the single market in legal services is among the reasons why the government urgently needs to set out a vision for trade with the EU following Brexit, MPs say today.’

Full story

Law Society’s Gazette, 8th March 2017

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Legal problem and resolution survey 2014 to 2015 – Ministry of Justice

‘These reports present the findings from the Legal Problem and Resolution Survey 2014 to 2015, a telephone survey of 10,058 adults in England and Wales.’

Full reports

Ministry of Justice, 3rd march 2017

Source: www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ministry-of-justice

Just 10% of people with legal problems turn to a solicitor, major research finds – Legal Futures

‘Only 10% of people with legal problems use a solicitor, and often only after approaching other sources of advice first, major government research has revealed.’

Full story

Legal Futures, 6th March 2017

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Lord Chief Justice “strongly opposes” accountants’ bid to handle litigation and advocacy work – Legal Futures

Posted February 21st, 2017 in accountants, advocacy, legal representation, legal services, news, taxation by sally

‘The Lord Chief Justice has outlined his “strong opposition” to a bid to allow accountants to handle tax litigation and advocacy work – and in return come under fire from the body that would regulate them.’

Full story

Legal Futures, 21st February 2017

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

“Our legal services will stay on top”, minister declares in face of growing threat of competition post-Brexit – Legal Futures

Posted February 15th, 2017 in brexit, competition, EC law, legal services, news, referendums by sally

‘Justice minister Sir Oliver Heald has struck a bullish tone of defiance in response to concerns that Germany and the Netherlands are creating English-language commercial courts to compete with the UK for disputes post Brexit.’

Full story

Legal Futures, 13th February 2017

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

AI revolution could hit access to justice for people on low incomes – Legal Futures

‘Artificial intelligence (AI) could have a knock-on impact on legal services for poorer people, such as weakening pro bono assistance by cutting the number of commercial lawyers, according to a report by Professor Roger Smith.’

Full story

Legal Futures, 2nd February 2017

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Brexit free movement restrictions would ruin Britain’s £26bn legal services industry, country’s top lawyers warn – The Independent

Posted February 2nd, 2017 in brexit, EC law, freedom of movement, legal services, news, select committees, treaties by tracey

‘Britain’s £26bn legal industry is under threat from post-Brexit restrictions to freedom of movement and exit from the single market, the country’s top lawyers have warned. MPs on the Justice Select Committee, who are gathering evidence on the impact of leaving the EU, were told that there would be little left to “salvage” of the successful industry if lawyers were stripped of free movement and lost the right to practise in the EU because of differing regulations.’

Full story

The Independent, 1st February 2017

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Legal services at forefront of Global Britain – Ministry of Justice

‘A bold and bright future awaits the UK’s world-leading legal services as we prepare to leave the EU, Lord Chancellor Elizabeth Truss declared today.’

Full press release

Ministry of Justice, 19th January 2017

Source: www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ministry-of-justice

Law Society warns solicitors may be damaged by Brexit – Legal Futures

Posted January 18th, 2017 in brexit, EC law, law firms, legal services, news, referendums, solicitors, treaties by sally

‘US law firms will have less incentive to employ UK-qualified lawyers as a way to access European markets and the UK solicitor title could become less desirable as a result of Brexit, the Law Society has warned.’

Full story

Legal Futures, 16th January 2017

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk