Paralegals granted new training short cut (LSG)
Paralegals who have passed a legal practice course (LPC) may now qualify as solicitors without having to complete a formal training contract, under guidance published by the Solicitors Regulation Authority […]
The buying and selling process has not improved during my forty years in conveyancing (EAT)
Forty years ago this week, as a spotty 16 year old, I first began working in the legal profession. In fact, I still have the letter from J. W. Ward […]
World’s first all-online auction this autumn (EAT)
The first-ever all-online property auction – where a contract is emailed and digitally signed by sellers and buyers, so the entire procedure happens via email and the internet – is […]
Be More Uruguay? No! Be More Germany! (IC)
I think it was receiving sympathy from my German neighbour the morning after the Uruguay game that was so hard to take. My inferiority by nationality was palpable and reflected in […]
Where now for legal regulation? (LF)
A direct consequence of the Government’s decision in May not to make any major changes to the regulatory framework for legal services is that it simultaneously fired the starting gun for […]
ICAEW wins power to licence probate ABSs (LF)
The Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW) has been given the green light by Parliament to regulate alternative business structures which provide probate services, with dozens of […]
PC renewals 2014
This year’s practising certificate renewal exercise will take place between 1 and 31 October.
New housing minister pledges 165,000 homes (EAT)
In his first major act as housing and planning minister, Brandon Lewis has promised 165,000 new houses and apartments will be constructed in the three years from 2015 in a […]
“Too intimidating and too expensive” – new LSB chair’s verdict on the legal market (LF)
The legal market is “too intimidating, too uniform and, in many cases, too expensive”, the new chairman of the Legal Services Board (LSB) has warned.
Indemnity cover cut ignores ‘increasing’ number of larger claims (LF)
The number of larger professional indemnity claims is increasing, undermining the case for a cut in the minimum cover for law firms from £2m to £500,000, an industry expert has […]
Trusted advisers, by choice (LSG)
Legal executives could be running their own practices by next year if the Legal Services Board’s consultation gets the green light. No doubt these proposals will have met with some […]
First-time buyer numbers plummeting, says gloomy NAEA (PIE)
First-time buyers are being squeezed out of the market, with a 20% monthly drop in the number of first-time purchases in June.