Legal Services Board
LSB gets clean bill of health but idea of ‘super regulator’ remains on the horizon
The Legal Services Board and Office for Legal Complaints were today given a clean bill of health by the government, although it acknowledged that in the long term transforming the LSB into a ‘super regulator’ is an option.
Law Society to be spared annual internal governance check – because it is bound to fail
The Law Society will not be required to certify its compliance with the rules on internal governance because it is bound to fail the test, the Legal Services Board has decided. The board said the new governance arrangements are “somewhat fragile”.
Version 4 of Handbook goes live as SRA promises no further COLP/COFA delay
The fourth edition of the SRA Handbook in less than 10 months was published yesterday. It includes the delay in the introduction of the compliance officer regime, and the SRA has guaranteed that there will be no further hold-ups.
Edmonds: LSB is interventionist and proud of it
The role of the Legal Services Board is to get involved and intervene – not to sit, watch and react – its chairman said yesterday, hitting back at critics of its activism. David Edmonds said the phrase “oversight regulator” does not appear in the Legal Services Act.
LSB calls on profession to engage with comparison websites and “will consider” accrediting them
The Legal Services Board has urged regulators and professional bodies to engage with comparison websites for the benefit of consumers, including providing access to their registers, Legal Futures can reveal.
News in brief: Quindell targets CMC aggregation, “charitable referral fees”, solicitor ad wins TV award
Our regular round-up of news snippets features another acquisition by ABS-in-waiting Quindell Portfolio, a solicitor’s TV ad winning a Royal Television Society award, a firm donating referral fees to charity, and ABS compensation fund arrangements.
LSB urges SRA to speed up review of “unsustainable” in-house lawyer rules
The Legal Services Board has told the Solicitors Regulation Authority that it needs to complete its review of in-house practice as soon as possible because the current regulatory arrangements are not sustainable.
Internet revolution “yet to reach legal services” as consumers cry out for better online help
The Internet revolution has “yet to reach legal services”, new Legal Services Board research has found, meaning consumers jump at the idea of an ‘official’ online resource to help them resolve their legal issues.
SRA and OISC make competing land-grabs for immigration work
The Solicitors Regulation Authority has launched a bid to regulate non-lawyer immigration advisers. However, at the same time the body that oversees them – the Office for the Immigration Services Commissioner – is seeking to take over the regulation of specialist lawyers.
Law firms to have extra year before publishing diversity data as LSB flags concerns over Bar exemptions
Law firms are to have an extra year before they must publish staff diversity data, after the Legal Services Board approved Solicitors Regulation Authority plans for a delay. But it was unhappy with the Bar Standards Board’s proposal to exempt chambers of fewer than 10 people.
Blog
Mind the (justice) gap: Why are RTAs going up but claims still down?
The gap between the number of road traffic accident injuries and the number of motor injury claims continues to widen, according to the latest government data.
Five key issues to consider when adopting an AI-based legal tech
As generative AI starts to play a bigger role in our working lives, there are some key issues that your law firm needs to consider when adopting an AI-based legal tech.
Bulk litigation – not always working in consumers interests
For consumers to get the benefit, bulk litigation needs to be done well, and we are increasingly concerned that there are significant problems in some areas of this market.
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