Market monitor

The Ministry of Justice today bowed to the inevitable and announced that implementation of the whiplash reforms will be delayed from 6 April to 1 August, while its plans for ADR have been ditched.

Claimant representatives have questioned whether the whiplash reform dealy is long enough, and also condemned the government for dropping the provision of ADR for cases where liability is disputed.

Slaughter and May will tomorrow become the first City law firm targeted for its work with fossil fuel companies by campaign group Lawyers for Extinction Rebellion.

Flexible lawyering business LOD has launched an unregulated law firm, staffed entirely by former in-house solicitors, to help companies with “everyday in-house work”.

An association for female family lawyers will be launched next month, embracing all levels of seniority from High Court judges to paralegals, with the immediate aim of creating a national mentoring scheme. Founding chair Hannah Markham QC said among the… Read More

The public shares a widespread concern that their rights are being eroded and that they need to know more about the law, according to research by the main three lawyer groups published today to mark Justice Week. People were particularly… Read More

The number of conveyancing law firms has fallen to a new low as the market felt the “full brunt” of Brexit-related political and economic uncertainty last year, new research has found.

The number of authorised claims management companies has plunged by almost 40% since the Financial Conduct Authority took over regulation last April, and has refused to authorise one for the first time.

A collaboration of lawyers, calling itself the Chancery Lane Project, is to publish a set of model laws and contract clauses later this month to help the profession around the world fight climate change.

Partners and staff at listed law firm Gateley sold £11m worth of shares yesterday – making £27m since it went public – amid a burst of news about listed legal businesses, including Knights and Redde.

Law firms must recognise that the market for wills is changing and that younger people are attracted by online wills, after research showed the average age of will-makers was 58.

Smaller law firms are unable to pay the high salaries that top candidates for jobs are demanding and this is putting them under economic pressure, a survey of 4,000 practices has concluded.

A niche London disputes practice has become the first law firm to sign up to the Good Business Charter – an ethical business initiative that supported by both the CBI and TUC.

The four leading will-writing brands are beginning to take “a noticeable market share”, new research has suggested. It also found that a majority of probate matters are now handled on a fixed-fee basis.

Listed law firm Knights is stepping up its consolidation strategy, unveiling its third acquisition of 2020 with a deal to buy a Nottingham law firm for up to £8.3m, and agreeing a new £40m credit facility.