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I’m not sure how the Law Society Gazette was hoping to reassure solicitors with its recent story “Consumers unattracted by non-legal brands”. The headline may sound promising, but as the statistics unfold it becomes quite clear this was not a good news story for the legal profession.

Before we all get too excited by the thought of law firms floating next year (and I’m as bad as the next hack – I would donate a non-essential organ in return for breaking the story of the first firm here to do it), it took Slater & Gordon seven years from starting to look at its options to reach the point of listing. That doesn’t mean every firm would take so long, but it does indicate how deeply firms need to examine it. Has anyone being doing that for nearly enough time to allow them to push the button in the next year?

The 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.

The 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.

TV 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.