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 sally

‘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 sally

‘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.’

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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.’

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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.’

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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.’

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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.’

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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.’

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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 sally

‘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.’

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Legal Futures, 16th January 2017

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Finance and Divorce Update, January 2017 – Family Law Week

Posted January 17th, 2017 in divorce, EC law, families, financial provision, legal aid, legal services, news by sally

‘Claire Molyneux, Senior Associate and Naomi Shelton, Associate, both of Mills & Reeve LLP, analyse the news and case law relating to financial remedies and divorce during December 2016.’

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Family Law Week, 12th January 2017

Source: www.familylawweek.co.uk

Bar Chairman: Government must protect UK legal services’ strength in Brexit process – The Bar council

Posted December 21st, 2016 in brexit, EC law, legal services, press releases, statistics by sally

‘Bar Council responds to new report from TheCityUK on value of legal services.’

Full press release

The impact of Brexit on the UK-based legal services sector

The Bar Council, 20th December 2016

Source: www.barcouncil.org.uk

CMA responses: Law Society and SRA at odds, but McKenzie Friends are happy – Legal Futures

Posted December 16th, 2016 in competition, legal profession, legal services, McKenzie friends, news by sally

‘The Competition and Market Authority’s (CMA) report on legal services yesterday provoked a predictably mixed response that pitted the Law Society against the Solicitors Regulation Authority, and found support from the body representing paid McKenzie Friends.’

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Legal Futures, 16th May 2016

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

CMA final report: demand for better price and service transparency from law firms, and review of legal regulation – Legal Futures

Posted December 15th, 2016 in competition, law firms, legal services, press releases, reports by sally

‘Regulators need to deliver a “step change in standards of transparency” so that lawyers’ clients can both understand the price and service they will receive, and compare providers, the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) said today.’

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Full CMA press release

Legal Futures, 15th December 2016

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

AI app that replaces lawyers “could be used in divorce cases” – Legal Futures

‘The technology behind an artificial intelligence (AI) app developed to help businesspeople draft confidentiality agreements will be extended to other commercial and consumer products such as wills, and may in time be suitable for family law cases, according to its creator.’

Full story

Legal Futures, 22nd November 2016

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Cambridge students build a ‘lawbot’ to advise sexual assault victims – The Guardian

Posted November 9th, 2016 in computer programs, legal services, news, sexual offences, universities, victims by sally

‘Imagine RoboCop went to Oxbridge – well, it’s nothing like that at all.’

Full story

The Guardian, 9th November 2016

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Supreme Court upholds clause excluding professional indemnity cover for commercial arrangements – OUT-LAW.com

Posted October 27th, 2016 in appeals, contracts, insurance, law firms, legal services, news, solicitors, Supreme Court by sally

‘Loans provided to the clients of a firm of solicitors by a third party funder were not ‘legal services’, and so were not covered by the terms of the firm’s professional indemnity (PI) policy, the UK’s highest court has ruled.’

Full story

OUT-LAW.com, 26th October 2016

Source: www.out-law.com

The LSB’s proposals for legislative reform: let’s be clear – Legal Futures

Posted October 27th, 2016 in legal services, Legal Services Board, news, reports by sally

‘The publication of the LSB’s vision for legislative reform of legal services regulation on 12 September has generated a healthy level of interest and debate. This can, on the surface, seem a somewhat dry subject. However, it has an impact not just on existing regulated practitioners, but also on providers of legal services more generally, as well as everyone who uses or benefits from an effective legal sector. And, let’s face it, that’s all of us.’

Full story

Legal Futures, 25th October 2016

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Direct access website founder urges barristers to focus on broader expertise, not advocacy – Legal Futures

Posted October 11th, 2016 in advocacy, barristers, legal services, news by sally

‘Lawyers who don’t believe the “writing is on the wall” that unregulated legal services will increase “may find themselves on the wrong side of history”, the founder of direct access website Absolute Barrister has warned.’

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Legal Futures, 11th October 2016

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk