Tag Results
Land Registry to change rules to ensure ABSs can compete with law firms
Monday, 6 December 2010The Land Registry is to change land registration legislation to ensure that alternative business structures can compete effectively with traditional law firms. It says the prospect of increased competition is potentially good for consumers.
Tags: ABS, Alternative business structures, conveyancing, Land Registry
Posted in Alternative business structures, News
SRA to launch more law firm supervision pilots as run-up to OFR gains momentum
Friday, 3 December 2010The Solicitors Regulation Authority will start pilots for desk-based supervision and risk-based visits to law firms next month as the run-up to the launch of outcomes-focused regulation steps up. A new policy statement explains that “high intensity” supervision does not mean a firm is necessarily in trouble.
Tags: ABS, Alternative business structures, OFR, outcomes-focused regulation, Solicitors Regulation Authority
Posted in News, Solicitors
Law Society to aid compliance officers facing personal exposure under SRA’s new regime
Friday, 3 December 2010The Law Society is considering a scheme to shore up the position of compliance officers who could find themselves personally exposed under the Solicitors Regulation Authority’s (SRA) proposed handbook. Chief executive Des Hudson also raised concerns over the SRA’s progress towards outcomes-focused regulation.
Tags: ABS, Alternative business structures, compliance officer for finance and administration, compliance officer for legal practice, Law Society, outcomes-focused regulation, Solicitors Regulation Authority
Posted in Alternative business structures, News, Solicitors
SRA lays out what firms can and cannot do to prepare for ABSs
Tuesday, 30 November 2010The Solicitors Regulation Authority has outlined the steps that law firms are able to take under the current rules in preparing to become an alternative business structure. It has updated its July 2009 guidance that just highlighted what solicitors should not do.
Tags: ABS, Alternative business structures, external investment, Solicitors Regulation Authority
Posted in Alternative business structures, News, Solicitors
TV’s Sarah Beeny backs ABSs but warns of challenges to firms and regulators
Friday, 19 November 2010TV property guru Sarah Beeny has welcomed alternative business structures as a “positive step forward” so long as they deliver increased choice, lower prices and better service for consumers – but warned that their regulation must be robust to maintain standards.
Tags: ABS, Alternative business structures
Posted in Alternative business structures, Latest news
“Out of step” Bar throws spanner into workings of ABS disciplinary regime
Friday, 19 November 2010The Bar is “out of step” with fellow regulators over its operation of the criminal standard of proof in its disciplinary tribunal, a Bar Standards Board meeting in London was told yesterday, potentially causing problems with the admissibility of regulators’ disciplinary findings in the post-ABS world. Meanwhile, the board also argued about the strength of the disciplinary sanction for failing to meet continuing professional development requirements.
Tags: ABS, Alternative business structures, bar standards board, standard of proof
Posted in Barristers, Legal Services Board, News
Float like a butterfly?
Tuesday, 16 November 2010The latest in our series of extracts from Climate Change, a report on the impact of the Legal Services Act published by accountants Baker Tilly, considers what kinds of law firms might float and the impact it could have on the practice and staff
Tags: ABS, Alternative business structures, partnerships
Posted in Alternative business structures, Latest news, Market monitor, News
UK lawyers failing consumers but are better than second-hand car salesmen, says EU
Friday, 5 November 2010Legal services is one of the markets most failing UK consumers, with bankers and insurers among those doing a better job, pioneering European Union research has revealed. Lawyers are just ahead of second-hand car salesmen, however. The Legal Services Consumer Panel has branded the results “embarrassing” and said lawyers will have to up their game significantly if they are to resist competition from alternative business structures.
Tags: ABS, Alternative business structures, complaints, EU, Legal Services Consumer Panel
Posted in Alternative business structures, Consumer panel, News
Why big brand legal services are bad news for solicitors
Thursday, 4 November 2010Is it time for solicitors to panic? The significance of the announcement that the AA and Saga have launched legal services websites is less in what they are offering but in the fact that they are the latest big brands to see potential in the legal market.
Tags: ABS, Alternative business structures, legal expenses insurance, reserved legal activities
Posted in Alternative business structures, Market monitor, News
Kafka – required reading for tomorrow’s lawyer?
Thursday, 4 November 2010A Gazette article caught my eye today, entitled “Solicitors believe ABSs will create ‘more opportunity’”, writes Duncan Finlyson. It is the latest bizarre and illogical instalment in the plan to delude everyone into believing that alternative business structures are not a threat but an opportunity.
Tags: ABS, Alternative business structures
Posted in Blog