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Complaints research
Only one in eight (13 per cent) of customers dissatisfied with the legal service they receive goes on to make a formal complaint, the Office of Fair Trading has reported.
The research was commissioned to see how the Legal Services Act 2007 has impacted on consumers. The low level of complaints was found to be largely due to uncertainty about how or where to complain and scepticism about whether complaining is worth the effort. The OFT said that the Legal Ombudsman system should be more actively promoted by all in the sector. The speed of authorising alternative business structures was also found to be slow and the OFT urged regulators to speed up the process.
First year of ABS licensing
In its first year of authorising and regulating alternative business structures (ABS), the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) has granted 74 licences, with a further 19 close to completion. The SRA, approved as an ABS licensing authority by the Legal Services Board in December 2011, started accepting applications on 3 January 2012. Since then, 387 firms have started the application process, and 117 firms have completed the submission of all necessary information.
Court of Claims exhibition
An exhibition to mark the 60th anniversary of the last meeting of the Court of Claims, an ancient court set up to hear petitions from those who believe they have the right to perform a particular honorific service for a new monarch on their coronation day, has opened. It will run in the café area of the Supreme Court on Parliament Square until the spring.
LETR report delayed
Publication of the Legal Education and Training Review report has been delayed, “given the weight of evidence and consideration of the importance and complexity of the review”. The most substantial review of legal education and training since the Ormrod Report in 1971, the review began in June 2011 and was due to report in December last year.
The research was commissioned to see how the Legal Services Act 2007 has impacted on consumers. The low level of complaints was found to be largely due to uncertainty about how or where to complain and scepticism about whether complaining is worth the effort. The OFT said that the Legal Ombudsman system should be more actively promoted by all in the sector. The speed of authorising alternative business structures was also found to be slow and the OFT urged regulators to speed up the process.
First year of ABS licensing
In its first year of authorising and regulating alternative business structures (ABS), the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) has granted 74 licences, with a further 19 close to completion. The SRA, approved as an ABS licensing authority by the Legal Services Board in December 2011, started accepting applications on 3 January 2012. Since then, 387 firms have started the application process, and 117 firms have completed the submission of all necessary information.
Court of Claims exhibition
An exhibition to mark the 60th anniversary of the last meeting of the Court of Claims, an ancient court set up to hear petitions from those who believe they have the right to perform a particular honorific service for a new monarch on their coronation day, has opened. It will run in the café area of the Supreme Court on Parliament Square until the spring.
LETR report delayed
Publication of the Legal Education and Training Review report has been delayed, “given the weight of evidence and consideration of the importance and complexity of the review”. The most substantial review of legal education and training since the Ormrod Report in 1971, the review began in June 2011 and was due to report in December last year.
Complaints research
Only one in eight (13 per cent) of customers dissatisfied with the legal service they receive goes on to make a formal complaint, the Office of Fair Trading has reported.
Chair of the Bar reports back
Marie Law, Director of Toxicology at AlphaBiolabs
A £500 donation from AlphaBiolabs has been made to the leading UK charity tackling international parental child abduction and the movement of children across international borders
Marie Law, Director of Toxicology at AlphaBiolabs, outlines the drug and alcohol testing options available for family law professionals, and how a new, free guide can help identify the most appropriate testing method for each specific case
By Louise Crush of Westgate Wealth Management
Marie Law, Director of Toxicology at AlphaBiolabs, examines the latest ONS data on drug misuse and its implications for toxicology testing in family law cases
A career shaped by advocacy beyond her practice, and the realities of living with an invisible disability – Dr Natasha Shotunde, Black Barristers’ Network Co-Founder and its Chair for seven years, reflects on a decade at the Bar
The odds of success are as unforgiving as ever, but ambition clearly isn’t in short supply. David Wurtzel’s annual deep‑dive into the competition cohort shows who’s entering, who’s thriving and the trends that will define the next wave
Where to start and where to find help? Monisha Shah, Chair of the King’s Counsel Selection Panel, provides an overview of the silk selection process, debunking some myths along the way
Do chatbot providers owe a duty of care for negligent misstatements? Jasper Wong suggests that the principles applicable to humans should apply equally to machines
There is no typical day in the life as a Supreme Court judicial assistant, says Josephine Gillingwater, and that’s what makes the role so enjoyably diverse
