When the charge for single-use plastic carrier bags was introduced in England on 5 October 2015, Tesco reported a 78% drop in number of single-use carrier bags taken from its stores in England in the first month. According to a panel of environmental experts, if the government is to meet its targets for sustainable planning and development, a similar initiative could be the key to addressing some of the barriers.

The final CPD year under the hours-based system drew to a close last week, with the new continuing competence regime now in place. This is likely to have been the last year when CPD providers could rely on a flurry of last-minute course registrations, as lawyers looked to ensure they completed the required 16 hours. It’s time for change, and there’s never been a better time for firms to review how their lawyers learn, so that effective personal development becomes an essential part of every firm’s recruitment and retention strategy.

YouTube is now one of the first places people turn to if they are looking for an answer to a question, whether they are trying to fix their dishwasher or fill out their tax returns. Buying a house is no exception. By building up a collection of useful YouTube videos, your firm can become a first point of call for people setting out on their house-buying journey and put you on their radar before they even begin to think about selecting a conveyancer.

One subject I am regularly asked about by our legal clients is whether they should use US-owned ‘public’ or ‘shared’ cloud platforms such as Microsoft’s Office 365 and Azure or Amazon’s AWS. Usually the questioner is actually asking three questions in one: Am I allowed to use these platforms from a compliance point of view? Is it the best way to access cloud services? And finally, is it the most cost-effective way of accessing cloud? With the recent announcement that Microsoft’s new UK data centres are up and running, it is time to revisit the subject.

The publication of the Legal Services Board’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.