SRA claims reforms will help ease uncertainty for law firms post-Brexit

The Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) is claiming that reforms on regulation to open up the market, increase competition and focus on high professional standards will help to alleviate the uncertainty facing the legal profession as a result of the Brexit vote.

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‘Simpler and better’: CMA calls for more competition but stops short of recommending full legal services review

An interim report into the legal services market released by the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has found that competition in legal services for individual and small business consumers is not working as well as it should, while upfront information on price and quality is often not available to consumers. However the investigation has stopped short of recommending a full review.

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The Brexit effect: Law Society urges government to delay plans to separate from SRA after EU vote

Due to the uncertainty and economic volatility stoked by last week’s shock Brexit vote, the Law Society has told MPs that plans to give the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) and other regulators full independence should be shelved.

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From offshore to Big Law: the Panama Papers’ lasting imprint on the legal landscape

Tom Moore argues profession must deal with changing attitudes on tax and reputation

The offshore market is being redrawn following the leak on 3 April of 11 million documents from Panama law firm Mossack Fonseca & Co, which led to a public outcry about tax evasion. The leak revealed some 12 world leaders, including close associates of Russian president Vladimir Putin and 143 politicians, used the firm to avoid tax in developed countries.

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The battle within: Risk management and professional indemnity survey 2016

With cyber risk exploding and storm clouds over the economy, it’s harder than ever to balance risk with commercial realities. Legal Business’ annual risk survey asks how law firms are coping.

While no major law firm has yet fallen prey to the sort of high-profile data breach that the mobile operator Talk Talk suffered in 2015, the threat is front and centre of every risk manager’s mind. For those polled in Legal Business’ ninth annual risk management survey with broker Marsh, ‘IT security breach/data management accident or breach’ was again regarded as the most significant risk to law firms in terms of the damage it could cause and the likelihood of it occurring (see table).

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Guest post: Why the SRA’s education reforms inhibit innovation

This response to the Solicitors Regulation Authority’s (SRA) Consultation on training tomorrow’s solicitors is a personal one. I am afraid this will not make a great deal of sense to those of you not familiar with the proposals, my apologies in advance.

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