Category: legal services

Ageing population will change demand for legal services, says 2025 report – Legal Futures

Posted March 14th, 2016 in divorce, elderly, employment, families, flexible working, health, housing, legal profession, legal services, news, wills by sally

‘Britain’s changing demographics will mean a huge shift in demand for legal services, towards managing the wealth and lives of the growing proportion of elderly people in the population, according to a study forecasting legal needs in 2025.’

Full story

Legal Futures, 14th March 2016

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Plans put forward to integrate HB Public Law and Buckinghamshire legal teams – Local Government Lawyer

Posted February 22nd, 2016 in legal services, local government, mergers, news by sally

‘One of the largest local authority shared legal services could be created later this year if the proposed integration of HB Public Law and the legal services department at Buckinghamshire County Council goes ahead.’

Full story

Local Government Lawyer, 19th February 2016

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Barristers at risk of being squeezed out of market, regulator warns – Legal Futures

Posted February 11th, 2016 in alternative business structures, barristers, consultations, legal profession, legal services, news by sally

‘Barristers are at risk of being “squeezed out of the market by a declining case load, a surfeit of barristers and increasing competition from both other regulated legal professionals as well as unregulated service providers”, the Bar Standards Board (BSB) has warned.’

Full story

Legal Futures, 8th February 2016

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Profession gets to work on Jackson’s vision of a contingent legal aid fund – Litigation Futures

Posted February 8th, 2016 in barristers, costs, fees, Law Society, legal aid, legal representation, legal services, news, solicitors by tracey

‘The Bar Council, Law Society and Chartered Institute of Legal Executives (CILEx) have already begun talks on forming a working party that will take forward Lord Justice Jackson’s call for a contingent legal aid fund (CLAF), it has emerged.’

Full story

Litigation Futures, 5th February 2016

Source: www.litigationfutures.com

Speech by Lord Justice Jackson – The Case for a CLAF – Courts and Tribunals Judiciary

Posted February 8th, 2016 in barristers, costs, fees, Law Society, legal aid, legal representation, legal services, solicitors, speeches by tracey

‘Lord Justice Jackson gave the keynote speech at the Solicitors’ Costs Conference on 2 February 2016.’

Full speech

Courts and Tribunals Judiciary, 4th February 2016

Source: www.judiciary.gov.uk

BSB publishes its response to the CMA legal services market study’s statement of scope – Bar Standards Board

Posted February 8th, 2016 in barristers, competition, legal services, licensing, news by tracey

‘The BSB is pleased to make public its response to the Competition and Market Authority’s (CMA’s) “Statement of Scope” for its legal services market study.’

Full response

Bar Standards Board, 5th February 2016

Source: www.barstandardsboard.org.uk

Solicitors welcome investigation into cost and quality of UK legal services – The Guardian

Posted January 14th, 2016 in competition, inquiries, legal services, news, solicitors by sally

‘An investigation into “longstanding concerns about the affordability” and quality of legal services has been launched by the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA).’

Full story

The Guardian, 13th January 2016

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

New Bar chairman: the BSB is independent enough – Legal Futures

Posted December 9th, 2015 in barristers, fees, legal aid, legal services, news, public interest, standards by sally

‘The current arrangements for the regulation of barristers are “relatively cost-efficient” and there is no need to make the Bar Standards Board (BSB) fully independent, the incoming chairman of the Bar Council has said.’

Full story

Legal Futures, 9th December 2015

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Profession set on collision course with government over independent regulation – Legal Futures

Posted December 1st, 2015 in legal profession, legal services, news, solicitors, Solicitors Regulation Authority by tracey

‘The government should return regulation to the legal profession’s representative bodies, rather than introduce full separation, the Law Society has said in response to yesterday’s surprise announcement from the Treasury that separation is now on the cards.’

Full story

Legal Futures, 1st December 2015

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Public plead for free legal advice before deciding whether to go to court – Legal Futures

Posted November 24th, 2015 in citizens advice bureaux, civil justice, dispute resolution, law centres, legal aid, legal representation, legal services, news by sally

‘Any person thinking about taking their case to court should be able to see a lawyer without cost at least once, according to an opinion poll conducted as part of work on the public perception of justice.’

Full story

Legal Futures, 24th November 2015

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Gove poised to back call for less overbearing regulatory regime for ABSs – Legal Futures

Posted November 19th, 2015 in alternative business structures, barristers, legal services, Legal Services Board, lord chancellor, news, regulations, select committees by tracey

‘Lord Chancellor Michael Gove indicated yesterday that he would support legislative changes to make it easier to approve and regulate alternative business structures (ABSs) while the scope of the wider review of the Legal Services Act 2007 is worked out.’

Full story

Legal Futures, 19th November 2015

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Court of Appeal gives explicit backing for “valuable” unbundling – Legal Futures

Posted November 18th, 2015 in appeals, budgets, contracts, legal aid, legal services, litigants in person, negligence, news, professional conduct, solicitors by tracey

‘Solicitors who offer “unbundled” legal advice to help litigants deal with challenging parts of the process provide an “invaluable” service to both the court and litigants, the Court of Appeal said yesterday.’

Full story

Legal Futures, 18th November 2015

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Bar 2015: barristers lukewarm on innovative business models – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted October 27th, 2015 in alternative business structures, barristers, legal services, news by sally

‘Barristers appear reluctant to embrace new ways of doing business following the liberalisation of the legal services market.’

Full story

Law Society’s Gazette, 26th October 2015

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Take-up of barrister entities is “increasing significantly” – Legal Futures

Posted October 20th, 2015 in barristers, legal profession, legal services, news by sally

‘Barristers have been slow to adopt new entity models, but take-up is “increasing significantly” since the application process became more streamlined, according to the Bar Standards Board (BSB).’

Full story

Legal Futures, 20th October 2015

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Finance & Divorce Update October 2015 – Family Law Week

Posted October 12th, 2015 in appeals, confidentiality, consultations, costs, disclosure, divorce, enforcement, families, family courts, fees, financial dispute resolution, financial provision, jurisdiction, Law Commission, legal services, media, news, privacy, reporting restrictions, statistics by tracey

‘Edward Heaton, Principal Associate and Jane Booth, Associate, both of Mills & Reeve LLP analyse the news and case law relating to financial remedies and divorce during September 2015.’

Full story

Family Law Week, 11th October 2015

Source: www.familylawweek.co.uk

BSB jumps out of cab-rank rule frying pan and into fire of LSB probe – Legal Futures

Posted September 18th, 2015 in barristers, contracts, legal services, news by tracey

‘The Bar Standards Board (BSB) has been discharged from an undertaking it gave nearly two years ago to deal with concerns over the way it dealt with changes to the cab-rank rule. But in doing so, the Legal Services Board said it had continuing misgivings that have “directed our attention towards the BSB’s approach to regulation more broadly”.’

Full story

Legal Futures, 18th September 2015

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

LSB publishes report on regulation of in-house lawyers – Legal Services Board

Posted August 7th, 2015 in consultations, legal profession, legal services, Legal Services Board, press releases by tracey

‘The Legal Services Board publishes today responses received to its discussion paper: Are regulatory restrictions in practising rules for in-house lawyers justified? as well as its summary of those responses.’

Full press release

Legal Services Board, 29th July 2015

Source: www.legalservicesboard.org.uk

McKenzie friends rebuff from bar – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted July 20th, 2015 in barristers, legal services, McKenzie friends, news, rights of audience by tracey

‘Paid McKenzie friends should not be allowed to speak in court, the Bar Council has said, responding to “serious concerns” about the negative impact they can have on the administration of justice.’

Full story

Law Society’s Gazette, 20th July 2015

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Chambers offers legal advice through ‘video surgeries’ – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted July 20th, 2015 in barristers, costs, internet, legal services, news, solicitors by tracey

‘Direct access barristers at a virtual chambers are offering advice through “video surgeries” in a bid to become the first port of call for legal services.’

Full story

Law Society’s Gazette, 201th July 2015

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Gove announces review of Legal Services Act – Legal Futures

Posted July 15th, 2015 in advocacy, barristers, budgets, courts, employment tribunals, fees, legal aid, legal services, miscarriage of justice, news, statistics by tracey

‘There will a review of the Legal Services Act 2007 during this Parliament, the Lord Chancellor Michael Gove announced today.’

Full story

Legal Futures, 15th July 2015

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk