There’s been a lot of chatter around the Solicitors Regulation Authority’s proposal to allow paralegals to qualify as solicitors, without undertaking a formal training contract, and many voices argue that this will lead to a further dumbing down of the profession.

In a guest blog, Chris Handford – head of research and development at the Legal Services Board – explains the reasons behind the board’s new research survey on the costs of regulation – and how practitioners can have their say

You know that feeling you get when you return to work after moving house? The warm embrace of ‘business as usual’ after a period of sustained frenetic activity, a little stress, mixed with the excitement that comes with achieving a good outcome for you and your family? Well, I’ve just completed the annual renewal process of professional indemnity insurance (PII) for more than 50 firms in our network, and it’s a similar feeling.

Three cheers! The recession is over, we still live in a United Kingdom, property lawyers are buying Aston Martins again (in London anyway) and the stock market continues its Houdini high-wire act. So why are so many law firm managing partners still feeling a bit glum?

Futurology – the science of predicting the future – is exciting. But peering ahead is a risky business. The futurologist puts his neck on the line and reputations can be lost on what seems like a dead cert prediction.