News Article - 24/05/2012 : ABS, Finance, Human Resources

The Co-operative Group is set to offer 3,000 new jobs in its legal services arm, creating what it claims will be "the largest consumer law business in the country".

Ninety percent of the new positions at Co-operative Legal Services...

News Article - 22/05/2012 : ABS, SRA, The Legal Services Board, Risk & Compliance

The Intellectual Property Regulation Board (IPReg) will apply this year to become an alternative business structure (ABS) licensing authority, it has emerged.

Having unveiled its plans shortly before Christmas, IPReg has published a...

News Article - 18/05/2012 : ABS, The legal services act, Marketing

Logistics business the Stobart Group – home of the famous Eddie Stobart lorry fleet – has today launched a new service to link members of the public and businesses direct to a barrister without needing to employ a solicitor.

It is by some...

News Article - 15/05/2012 : ABS, acquisition, Finance, Practice Management, Marketing

AIM-listed online conveyancing company In-Deed – which last year became the first business to announce its intention to invest in law firms – has today begun its acquisition programme after admitting that its direct-to-consumer model is...

News Article - 14/05/2012 : ABS, Finance, hourly billing

Alternative business structures may well herald the demise of hourly billing as legal practice becomes even more competitive, the Master of the Rolls has predicted.

The introduction of contingency fees, the reform of conditional...

News Article - 10/05/2012 : ABS, personal injury litigation, Technology

Proclaim ABS PI is designed specifically for firms operating in the Personal Injury sector that are considering becoming an Alternative Business Structure (ABS).

The future of personal injury may lie in becoming an ABS – rolling up...

News Article - 30/04/2012 : ABS, CLS, family law service, legal aid, Practice Management, Marketing

Co-operative Legal Services (CLS) will this summer launch its family law service in London before rolling it out nationwide, director Christina Blacklaws has revealed.

Ms Blacklaws, who joined CLS last November to help spearhead...

News Article - 30/04/2012 : ABS, Italian law firm

An Italian firm has become one of the first from outside the UK to apply for alternative business structure (ABS) status.

Former PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) network firm Pirola Pennuto Zei & Associati, a €100m firm with 11...

News Article - 27/04/2012 : ABS, ASE, merger, SRA

Russell Jones & Walker has been authorised to convert to an alternative business structure (ABS) and will list on the Australian Securities Exchange (ASE) as part of its planned merger with Slater & Gordon have been approved by...

News Article - 25/04/2012 : ABS, SRA, Marketing

Cardiff solicitors’ firm NewLaw Legal Limited has become the latest organisation to be licensed as an alternative business structure.

Personal injury specialist NewLaw Legal is the first legal disciplinary practice to be granted an...

News Article - 24/04/2012 : ABS, fee cuts, legal aid, litigation boutiques, SRA, Practice Management, Marketing

The UK is on the cusp of a “litigation revolution” involving boutique alternative business structures (ABS) offering externally-funded contingency fee deals, according to the chairman of the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA).

...

News Article - 19/04/2012 : ABS, corporate financiers, corporate structure, Finance

A team of senior corporate financiers has joined forces with a law firm management consultancy specialising in alternative business structures (ABSs) to target mid-market law firms, Legal Futures can reveal.

Smith Square Partners...

News Article - 16/04/2012 : ABS, legal aid cuts, Practice Management

Alternative business structures will provide access to justice for consumers affected by legal aid cuts, a Legal Services Consumer Panel report states.

The body, which advises the Legal Services Board on consumer issues in the...

News Article - 30/03/2012 : ABS, law society, SRA, Risk & Compliance

Fining powers: Law Society says 125,000% hike not justified

The Solicitors Regulation Authority’s (SRA) is planning to increase its power to fine law firms from £2,000 to £250m, and to £50m for individuals, Legal Futures can reveal...

News Article - 29/03/2012 : ABS, lsa, Practice Management, Marketing

The Co-op – which yesterday received its alternative business structure (ABS) licence – is to provide legal services through its banking network as it seeks to challenge the “legal postcode lottery”, it has announced.

Co-operative...