The Lord Mayor’s dinner for HM Judges – Speech by The Lord Judge

Posted July 19th, 2011 in civil justice, judiciary, legal services, speeches by tracey

“The Lord Mayor’s dinner for HM Judges, Speech by The Lord Judge, Lord Chief Justice of England and Wales, 15/07/2011.”

Full speech

Judiciary of England and wales, 15th July 2011

Source: www.judiciary.gov.uk

Thousands ‘ripped off’ by unregulated will-writers – BBC News

Posted July 18th, 2011 in consumer protection, legal services, news, wills by sally

“Thousands of people are being ripped off by companies providing unregulated services such as will writing, claims the first Legal Ombudsman.”

Full story

BBC News, 18th July 2011

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

LSC publishes plan for interim family contracts – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted July 11th, 2011 in family courts, legal aid, legal services, news, tenders by sally

“The Legal Services Commission has published a plan for the tender process for new interim family contracts to start in February 2012.”

Full story

Law Society’s Gazette, 8th July 2011

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Are insurance referral fees a racket? – BBC News

Posted July 6th, 2011 in compensation, fees, insurance, legal services, news by sally

“Amid the recent publicity about legal referral fees relating to car insurance claims, there has been more heat than light.”

Full story

BBC News, 6th July 2011

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Watchdog highlights ‘imbalance of power’ between consumers and lawyers – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted June 24th, 2011 in consumer protection, legal profession, legal services, news by sally

“Consumers have benefited from the first four years of the Legal Services Act, but there remains an ‘imbalance of power’ which acts to their detriment in dealing with lawyers.”

Full story

Law Society’s Gazette, 24th June 2011

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

LSB publishes independent report examining the smaller approved regulators – Legal Services Board

Posted June 22nd, 2011 in legal services, news by sally

“The Legal Services Board (LSB) is today publishing the results of an independent investigation into the operations of smaller legal services regulators.”

Full story

Legal Services Board, 22nd June 2011

Source: www.legalservicesboard.org.uk

Legal aid faces threat of further cuts following rape backlash – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted May 27th, 2011 in budgets, legal aid, legal services, news by sally

“The government is considering fresh legal aid cuts, the Gazette has learned, because Kenneth Clarke’s politically maladroit remarks about rape sentencing have jeopardised its bid to save money by cutting the prison population.”

Full story

Law Society’s Gazette, 27th May 2011

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Regulation of referral fees for legal services – Legal Services Board

Posted May 27th, 2011 in fees, legal profession, legal services, news by sally

“Launch of decision paper marks conclusion of review into the operation of referral fees in the legal services sector.”

Press release

Legal Services Board, 27th May 2011

Source: www.legalservicesboard.org.uk

UK cements position as ‘centre of legal excellence’ – Ministry of Justice

Posted May 18th, 2011 in legal services, press releases by tracey

“Plans to strengthen the UK’s reputation as a world leader in legal services were unveiled by Justice Secretary Kenneth Clarke and Minister for Trade and Investment Lord Green today.”

Full press release

Ministry of Justice, 16th May 2011

Source: www.justice.gov.uk

Ministry of Justice Releases New Action Plan to Promote Legal Services Sector – The Bar Council

Posted May 17th, 2011 in legal services, Ministry of Justice, news by sally

“The Bar Council, which represents barristers in England and Wales, has voiced its support for the Ministry of Justice’s new Action Plan to promote the UK’s legal services sector. The plan has been jointly published by the MoJ and UK Trade and Investment (UKTI), and sets out how the Government, along with key partners, will seek to strengthen the country’s reputation in commercial arbitration, mediation and court services.”

Full story

The Bar Council, 16th May 2011

Source: www.barcouncil.org.uk

UK cements position as ‘centre of legal excellence’ – Ministry of Justice

Posted May 16th, 2011 in legal services, news by sally

“Plans to strengthen the UK’s reputation as a world leader in legal services were unveiled by Justice Secretary Kenneth Clarke and Minister for Trade and Investment Lord Green today.”

Full story

Ministry of Justice, 16th May 2011

Source: www.justice.gov.uk

LSB sets out approach to safeguarding quality in the provision of legal services – Legal Services Board

“Plans form response to the advice of the Consumer Panel on quality.”

Full press release

Legal Services Board, 12th May 2011

Source: www.legalservicesboard.org.uk

Legal Profession Law (4): Jeremy Hopkins, Practice Manager, 3 Verulam Buildings – Charon QC

Posted April 27th, 2011 in barristers' clerks, legal profession, legal services, podcasts by sally

“Today I am talking to Jeremy Hopkins, a practice manager at 3 Verulam Buildings, the Chambers of Ali Malek QC – a leading and well known commercial set. Given the recent TV programme Silk (and the arguably better version of Peter Moffat’s writing, North Square – both series featuring extremely cunning clerks at the very centre of the action… I thought it would be interesting to get an inside track on this world from Jeremy…. but first……. I would like to get a view on the real world of practice managers / clerks, the state of the legal profession today and his thoughts on the changes to the legal landscape coming in the wake of the the coming into force of The Legal Services Act this autumn.”

Podcast

Charon QC, 27th April 2011

Source: www.charonqc.wordpress.com

“Charon QC” is the blogging pseudonym of Mike Semple Piggot, editor of insitelaw newswire.

LSB sets out approach to overseeing regulation – Legal Services Board

Posted April 26th, 2011 in consultations, legal services, Legal Services Board, news by sally

“The LSB is today launching a new discussion paper setting out its approach to ensuring standards of regulation in the legal services sector.”

Full story

Legal Services Board, 26th April 2011

Source: www.legalservicesboard.org.uk

Employment lawyers see surge in disputes – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted April 8th, 2011 in employment, legal services, news by sally

“Employment solicitors have seen a surge in clients seeking advice on work-related disputes, according to figures seen by the Gazette.”

Full story

Law Society’s Gazette, 8th April 2011

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Consumers warned over deregulation of legal services – The Guardian

Posted April 6th, 2011 in complaints, consumer protection, legal ombudsman, legal services, news by sally

“The legal ombudsman has warned that consumers will need to take even greater care checking the regulatory status of firms offering legal services when the legal world experiences its equivalent of the big bang this autumn.”

Full story

The Guardian, 6th April 2011

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

‘Tesco law’ – not the big bang, but it will change the face of legal services – The Guardian

“The Law Society’s decision to back an application by its regulatory arm to oversee alternative business structures applications is a significant step.”

Full story

The Guardian, 25th March 2011

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Legal advice ‘too expensive’ warns bar regulator’s chair – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted March 23rd, 2011 in barristers, fees, legal services, news by sally

“Legal advice is ‘too expensive’ and has ‘moved out of reach of the middle classes,’ the chair of the Bar Standards Board said this week.”

Full story

Law Society’s Gazette, 23rd March 2011

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Legal Profession Lawcast (2): Neil Rose on ABS – Jackson – Funding – Regulation and the state of the profession today – Charon QC

Posted March 7th, 2011 in legal aid, legal profession, legal services, podcasts by sally

“Today I am talking to Neil Rose of Legal Futures about the changing legal landscape in 2011. Legal Futures is the brainchild of Neil Rose, who has been writing about the Legal Services Act since its genesis in the OFT report of 2001. Neil is a highly experienced legal journalist, having spent 12 years working on the Law Society’s Gazette, latterly as Deputy Editor and including a lengthy spell as Acting Editor in 2007. A qualified solicitor, he went freelance in January 2008.”

Podcast

Charon QC, 7th March 2011

Source: www.charonqc.wordpress.com

“Charon QC” is the blogging pseudonym of Mike Semple Piggot, editor of insitelaw newswire.

Study to examine oversupply of LPC graduates – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted February 25th, 2011 in legal education, legal services, news, paralegals by sally

“An in-depth study into education and training within the profession will address the current ‘mismatch’ between the number of Legal Practice Course graduates and training contracts, and will assess the role of paralegals, the Legal Services Board has said.”

Full story

Law Society’s Gazette, 24th February 2011

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk