Market monitor

Law firm consolidator Metamorph has unveiled its latest acquisition as one of a slew of mergers and acquisitions that has been announced. Insurance renewal season usually sees activity increase.

Partners at DWF cashed in shares worth £4.25m yesterday at the first opportunity to sell some of the stock they received when it listed, as the firm announced a pause in M&A activity.

A solicitor has launched what he believes is the first legal consultancy in the UK devoted entirely to nanotech firms, the latest to use the rules that allow solicitors to practise from unregulated firms.

The joint administrators of Ince & Co have been granted permission to apply to stay or dismiss claims brought against them in France by the former French partners of the City law firm.

Research showing significant regional variations in the price of legal advice “for what are fundamentally the same services” should encourage consumers to shop around, the Legal Services Board said today.

Lyons Davidson has had a good-looking year spoiled by the collapse of its joint venture with NAHL plc, meaning that it has posted a £2.8m loss for the last financial year.

A major Lincolnshire-based firm of accountants is moving beyond offering probate services by becoming an ABS to provide clients with a “wrap-around” service.

Legal activity has bounced back to 130% of pre-Covid levels with conveyancing continuing to rise steadily and several other practice areas also buoyant, new figures have shown.

A former trainee doctor has been found in contempt of court for repeatedly breaching injunctions imposed on him to stop using a website to harass a circuit judge.

Law firms have seen a U-shaped recovery – and in some work-types, V-shaped – “rather than a dreaded L-type situation where things stay down in the dumps for a long period of time”.

The Lord Chancellor is to launch an independently led review of the criminal legal aid system with the aim of improving its sustainability, but denied that it discriminates against BAME and women lawyers.

The Law Society has spoken out against a government clarification sought by Bar Council that means anyone self-isolating after returning from abroad can break quarantine to attend court.

A global law firm has launched what it believes is the legal industry’s first offering focused on behavioural science, aimed at helping clients make better decisions in areas like compliance.

West Midlands referral network Hub.Legal has reported that referrals of work from its 125 member firms have recovered to their pre-Covid level – but several are looking to merge.

The charity Law for Life, which specialises in public legal education, has created a film for Roma families in their own language as part of work to improve understanding of the child protection system.