Category: legal services

Podcast: Chris Kenny, Chief Executive of the Legal Services Board – Charon QC

Posted June 3rd, 2010 in legal profession, legal services, Legal Services Board, podcasts by sally

“Today (2 June) I talk to Chris Kenny, CEO of the Legal Services Board. Chris Kenny discusses the role and the function of the Legal Services Board and whether there is a need for it. He talks about the opportunities and threats to lawyers and legal services over the next five years. He looks at the impact on the Rule of Law given the proposed cuts to civil and criminal legal aid. He discusses the globalisation of legal services and international regulatory standards. Lastly, a bit of futurology, Chris discusses the likely legal landscape in the next five years.”

Podcast

Charon QC, 2nd June 2010

Source: www.charonqc.wordpress.com

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

Law Society president warns of looming threat to profession’s independence – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted May 27th, 2010 in Law Society, legal profession, legal services, news, speeches by sally

“The Legal Services Board’s proximity to government could threaten the independence of the legal profession, Law Society president Robert Heslett warned last night.”

Full story

Law Society’s Gazette, 26th May 2010

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Podcast Inside Track: Nicholas Green QC – Chairman of the Bar on the future of the legal profession – Charon QC

Posted May 17th, 2010 in barristers, legal profession, legal services, podcasts by sally

“Nicholas Green QC outlines his vision for the future of the Bar, his optimism that it will continue to develop and grow and his belief in the need for it to become more commercial, while holding on to the highest professional standards. He discusses the impact of the Legal Services Act, including the ability of barristers to go into partnership with solicitors, the issue of direct access to the Bar plus the increasing flexibility of career routes into the profession.”

Podcast

Charon QC, 17th May 2010

Source: www.charonqc.wordpress.com

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

What the legal services reforms could mean for how bar does business – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted April 29th, 2010 in barristers, legal services, news by sally

“The Legal Services Act, in combination with changes to the bar’s Code of Conduct agreed last month by the Bar Standards Board, herald a historic sea change for the bar. They give barristers the opportunity to practise in new ways that could radically change the relationship they have with solicitors.”

Full story

Law Society’s Gazette, 29th April 2010

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Bar Council launches ‘ProcureCo’ model as Bar looks to evolve business structures – The Bar Council

Posted April 27th, 2010 in barristers, legal services, news by sally

“The Bar Council of England and Wales, has launched a model for new business structures for the Bar, dubbed ‘ProcureCo’. This follows historic rule changes made by the Bar’s independent regulatory arm, the Bar Standards Board (BSB), which gave barristers the ability to provide their services in different ways and to structure themselves in ways which had previously been prohibited.”

Full story

The Bar Council, 26th April 2010

Source: www.barcouncil.org.uk

BSB launches survey on the future of the profession – Bar Standards Board

Posted April 20th, 2010 in barristers, consultations, legal profession, legal services, news by sally

“The Bar Standards Board (BSB) today (16 April) launched a survey of the profession on opinions and expectations in relation to the new business structures permitted under the Legal Services Act 2007. The BSB has teamed up with leading market research group YouGov to create and administer the survey, which all barristers, clerks and practice managers will be invited to complete.”

Full story

Bar Standards Board, 16th April 2010

Source: www.barstandardsboard.org.uk

Historic Liberalisation of Permitted Practice at the Bar – Bar Standards Board

Posted April 6th, 2010 in barristers, law firms, legal profession, legal services, news by sally

“The Legal Services Board approves Bar Standards Board applications designed to relax provisions in Code of Conduct for barristers’ working practices.”

Full story

Bar Standards Board, 1st April 2010

Source: www.barstandardsboard.org.uk

Most consumers ‘cannot tell good lawyer from bad one’ – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted March 4th, 2010 in consumer protection, legal services, news by sally

“Most consumers could not tell a good lawyer from a bad one, according to Ministry of Justice research published this week.”

Full story

Law Society’s Gazette, 4th March 2010

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

BSB seeks views on authorisation to practise arrangements – Bar Standards Board

Posted March 1st, 2010 in barristers, consultations, legal services, news by sally

“The BSB has issued a consultation paper seeking views on proposals for revisions to barristers’ practising arrangements. The Legal Services Act 2007 requires individuals wishing to provide reserved legal activities (such as exercising a right of audience and the conduct of litigation) to be authorised to do so by the relevant approved regulator.”

Full story

Bar Standards Board, 1st March 2010

Source: www.barstandardsboard.org.uk

MPs attack ‘lax’ Legal Services Commission – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted February 2nd, 2010 in auditors, legal aid, legal services, news by sally

“The Public Accounts Committee has today lambasted the Legal Services Commission for its handling of legal aid funds.”

Full story

Law Society’s Gazette, 2nd February 2010

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Barristers ‘gearing up for a revolution in the way they provide their services’ – The Bar Council

Posted January 25th, 2010 in barristers, legal profession, legal services, press releases by sally

“Barristers in England and Wales are preparing themselves for major changes in the ways they provide legal services, the new Chairman of the Bar Council will say today.”

Full story

The Bar Council, 23rd January 2010

Source: www.barcouncil.org.uk

Barristers begin nationwide debate over new ways of providing legal services – Bar Standards Board

Posted January 11th, 2010 in barristers, legal services, news by sally

“Barristers throughout England and Wales are set to engage in a nationwide and thought-provoking debate over how they provide their services.”

Full story

Bar Standards Board, 11th January 2010

Source: www.barstandardsboard.org.uk

LSB research reveals public ‘don’t know what lawyers do’ – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted January 7th, 2010 in legal profession, legal services, news by sally

More than two-thirds of consumers have ‘little or no knowledge’ of what lawyers do, research published last week has revealed.

Full story

Law Society’s Gazette, 7th January 2010

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

New ombudsman scheme for legal complaints – Ministry of Justice

Posted December 10th, 2009 in complaints, legal services, ombudsmen, press releases by sally

“The Office for Legal Complaints has announced further moves to set up a new ombudsman scheme that will investigate and resolve complaints by consumers of legal services.”

Full press release

Ministry of Justice, 9th December 2009

Source: www.justice.gov.uk

Bar Regulator approves fundamental changes – Bar Standards Board

Posted November 24th, 2009 in barristers, legal disciplinary practices, legal services, news by sally

“The Bar Standards Board (BSB), which regulates 14,000 barristers in England and Wales, has today paved the way for fundamental changes in barristers’ working practices by giving approval for barristers to supply legal services through the legal structures known as Legal Disciplinary Practices (LDPs).”

Full story

Bar Standards Board, 20th November 2009

Source: www.barstandardsboard.org.uk

Anthony Speaight QC says label of Bar as a referral profession should be “decisively dumped” – The Bar Council

Posted November 10th, 2009 in barristers, legal services, press releases by sally

“At the Bar Conference session on direct access on Saturday, Anthony Speaight QC made a controversial call to the profession to stop labelling itself as a referral profession. He also made two suggestions for the profession to consider regarding funding arrangements.”

Full press release

The Bar Council, 9th November 2009

Source: www.barcouncil.org.uk

Former bar chief questions wisdom of legal services reforms – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted October 26th, 2009 in barristers, legal services, news by sally

“The former chairman of the bar who led the profession when the legal services reforms were working their way through parliament has voiced strong reservations about the changes.”

Full story

Law Society’s Gazette, 26th October 2009

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

BSB announces decision making framework for new legal structures – Bar Standards Board

Posted October 7th, 2009 in barristers, legal profession, legal services, press releases by sally

“The Bar Standards Board (BSB) has today announced a timetable and decision making framework in relation to its decisions on barristers’ future involvement in new legal structures.”

Full press release

Bar Standards Board, 2nd October 2009

Source: www.barstandardsboard.org.uk

Lawyers Gathered in London Agree Communiqué on Access to Justice – The Bar Council

Posted October 2nd, 2009 in legal aid, legal services, press releases by sally

“More than 50 bar association leaders from around the world have approved a communiqué in support of access to justice.  The members of the group, which gathered in London on the occasion of the opening of the legal year, have voiced their concerns about cutbacks in funding legal services at the very time when recession has highlighted the need for access to legal advice and representation, especially for the weak and vulnerable.”

Full press release

The Bar Council, 1st October 2009

Source: www.barcouncil.org.uk

Barristers and the Legal Services Act: will the bar modernise in time? Does it even need to? – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted September 24th, 2009 in barristers, legal services, news by sally

“It is almost five years since Sir David Clementi rocked the legal establishment with his report on the regulatory framework for legal services. Since then, debate on the product of that report – the Legal Services Act 2007 – and the impact on the profession of new legal disciplinary partnerships and alternative business structures has been extensive.”

Full story

Law Society’s Gazette, 24th September 2009

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk