Market monitor
Daily Mail sting solicitor to face disciplinary tribunal
A solicitor whose firm was one of three shut down a year ago after being named in a Daily Mail undercover investigation is to face the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal.
Self-insurance ABS plans overseas expansion within global group
A niche ABS owned by a global insurance giant plans to take its service advising large companies on self-insurance schemes to other countries in which its parent operates.
From Cardiff to Norwich, Southampton to Newcastle – Knights eyes more M&A
Listed law firm Knights is eyeing up acquisition opportunities across England and Wales after its performance rebounded strongly in the second half of the year to take turnover over £100m.
“Extraordinary things are happening” outside of traditional law firms
Professor Richard Susskind’s claim that the current model of alternative legal services providers has not delivered and needs to be rethought is premature, the boss of Radiant Law has argued.
Listed compliance and risk business snaps up another law firm
Listed company Marlowe has continued the rapid expansion of its employment law business by buying law firm Cater Leydon Millard for £2.25m – its second acquisition in three months.
Back to the future for QualitySolicitors as Metamorph buys network
QualitySolicitors is set for rejuvenation as a national network of law firms after being acquired by consolidator Metamorph Group, which aims to triple its membership.
Divorce firm looks to shake up field with fixed fee for whole process
A freelance solicitor has teamed up with a former KPMG partner to launch a divorce business that guarantees its fixed-fee quote for the whole process, including ancillary relief.
In-house lawyers will have to deliver more for less, survey finds
Almost two-thirds of in-house legal departments are predicting increased workloads, despite most anticipating no increase in staff numbers and almost half expecting budget cuts.
Lawyer pair behind Anexo set to pocket another £61m
The two lawyers behind Anexo Group PLC will pocket at least £61m from selling their remaining stakes in the business if a proposed takeover goes through, having made £46m earlier this year.
Media law firm’s 200-person IP protection spin-off is sold
An online brand protection provider spun out of leading media law firm Wiggin has been sold to a company which helps brands manage their intellectual property globally.
Top firms “need to get clients paying faster” to prepare for next crisis
The top 50 law firms had nearly £6bn of unpaid client invoices on their balance sheets last year and would be better prepared for another crisis like Covid if they reduced this, an analysis has argued.
Law firm mergers “not a time for consensus”
Mergers of law firms are “not a time for consensus because decisions must be made” and the fact partners may have to cede control “must be debated and not hidden”, a report has warned.
Dentons secures private equity backing for global advisory business
The world’s largest law firm, Dentons, has launched a standalone advisory firm backed by private equity with the aim of building a vast multidisciplinary offering across the globe.
Lawyers fed performance-enhancing drugs in Law Society dystopia
More than half of legal services workers will lose their jobs and those that remain will be forced to take “performance-enhancing medication”, a “disruptive” vision of 2050 has envisaged.
Shoosmiths spins debt practice into joint venture ABS
National law firm Shoosmiths has spun its debt recovery practice into an alternative business structure joint venture with collections, recoveries and enforcement company Chartsbridge.