The consultation on a separate legal jurisdiction for Wales which is presently being undertaken by the Welsh Assembly’s Constitutional and Legislative Affairs Committee is drawing a largely negative response. The Law Society has warned that creating a separate legal jurisdiction could ‘dilute some of the benefits’ which accrue to the country from its present alignment with England. Lord Morris of Aberavon, a former attorney general, has questioned what a new jurisdiction would entail and that the cost implication is impossible to estimate. He issued a stark warning to members of the Welsh assembly to make it a priority to think about the cost of creating a separate legal system. Any separation might not be favoured by the present Welsh Assembly administration in light of the recent launch of a long-term strategy to attract thousands of new legal jobs to the country targeting international, London-based law firms to consider Wales as the ‘business location of choice’ for expansion and investment.
The Wall Street Journal recently wrote about an increasingly tough market for recent law graduates in the US. As the graduates in UK prepare for July graduation ceremonies across the country the job market remains stagnant.
The Solicitors Journal has revealed that personal injury litigation employs the most paralegals, followed by residential and commercial conveyancing. Law firms aim to increase the number of paralegals by 18 per cent over the next five years, based on a survey by Skills for Justice.
Commenting on a recent survey by the legal research company Jures, Legal Futures has reported that four in ten firms have already responded to the new environment of ABS. Some of the measures include the creation of multi-disciplinary practice (MDP), spinning off new services and accessing external investment to finance growth. The Law Gazette stated that while 'The Legal Services Act' (LSA) has so far had ‘minimal’ impact on law firms, but the reforms have acted as a ‘catalyst for change’ and increasing numbers in the profession are keen to explore outside funding. The Solicitors Journal reported that Investors’ interest may have been dampened by recession but some are still tempted by ‘disruptive’ models with more than half of law firms regarding access to private equity as a reason for conversion to ABS. In a very interesting prediction by leading accountancy firm Deloitte, merger activity among the country’s top firms is likely to increase as they grapple with both the Legal Services Act and a stagnant economy.
Saturday 30th June
- Law firm Divorce Jigsaw specialising in resolving marital disputes has opened in Bolton http://t.co/50g7r2f5
- Solicitors firm Lloyd Green devise unique charity fundraising scheme http://t.co/A2qpdWTS
Friday 29nd June
- Weil wins second victory for Barclay brothers in ongoing Maybourne Hotels dispute | The Lawyer: http://t.co/7ZMKVgDL
- RPC prepares for launch of five-partner Hong Kong office | The Lawyer: http://t.co/ILnP8zxH
- Nabarro adds Laura Ashley lawyer to Singapore team | The Lawyer: http://t.co/dSX031mM
- Herbert Smith exits continue as former Tokyo head quits for Bingham | The Lawyer: http://t.co/3yJuUZUE
- Lloyd's building gets new lease of life as LG and Norton Rose advise on £131m refinancing | Legalweek http://t.co/GCV5gJJ3
- New Dundas management duo set out plans and reaffirm UK merger aspirations | Legalweek http://t.co/rgZz9yUj
- Bain Capital arm set to assemble European adviser panel | Legalweek http://t.co/IYOUhGQA
- A&O secures partner buy-in to continue worldwide push | Legalweek http://t.co/5vxXYCZE
- Hogan Lovells, BLP and Freshfields top UK lawyer satisfaction rankings | Legalweek http://t.co/kKF6HnzL
Thursday 28st June
- Simmons to put all trainees through bespoke MBA course | The Lawyer: http://t.co/xQBAKX9Q
- SJ Berwin turns to Herbert Smith for City finance hire | The Lawyer: http://t.co/LArEiYhU
- DAC Beachcroft posts £163m turnover in first post-merger results | The Lawyer: http://t.co/52IjaRDL
- Barclays turns to Sullivan as backlash over Libor scandal intensifies | The Lawyer: http://t.co/XfX0mjE2
- Herbert Smith merger creates ‘truly global’ giant | Law Gazette http://t.co/mcuVdwwd
- Sullivan leads for Barclays on $450m fine for interest rate manipulation | Legalweek http://t.co/wRFxw0Z4
- Field Fisher and LG reject merger deal as talks over £150m tie-up end | Legalweek http://t.co/YnYhj8w2
- DAC Beachcroft reports revenue growth in first post-merger results | Legalweek http://t.co/Znk7ITaN
- Herbert Smith Freehills to go live as partners vote through merger | Legalweek http://t.co/shRrjIAN
- SNR Denton reveals 83 per cent NQ retention rate | The Lawyer: http://t.co/9HfRFg1r
- Nabarro advises Mercedes-Benz on OFT probe | The Lawyer: http://t.co/6BKEqIBx
- Field Fisher and Lawrence Graham abandon plans for £150m merger | The Lawyer: http://t.co/DrujXSvT
- Herbert Smith green lights October merger with Australia's Freehills | The Lawyer: http://t.co/lxWY12qR
- Law Society vice-president's firm Scott-Moncrieff & Associates LLP applies to be ABS | Law Gazette http://t.co/Jtb3FBkN
- Quindell confirms binding agreement to buy Liverpool law firm | Legal Futures http://t.co/Km6pjFip
Wednesday 27th June
- Bakers promotes 63 to partner worldwide, three in London | The Lawyer: http://t.co/GtpykLrh
- Dewey trainee facing deportation over visa issues | The Lawyer: http://t.co/dRRk5QLa
- K&L Gates continues Paris growth with double partner hire | Legalweek http://t.co/iAnqKIxw
- Mayer Brown boosts City partnership with Travers and Apollo hires | Legalweek http://t.co/17B1juzU
- Bakers promotes trio of City lawyers in 63-strong partnership round | Legalweek http://t.co/FMlZmieJ
- North-east firm NAS Legal Limited is latest to gain ABS status | Law Gazette http://t.co/235CgoHT
- Landmark Chambers installs Holgate and Mould as chambers heads | The Lawyer: http://t.co/XDOabb56
- The Lawyer Awards: Mishcon de Reya, Brick Court Chambers scoop top prizes | The Lawyer: http://t.co/f8Knkj5i
Tuesday 26th June
- Post-merger Pinsent Masons makes Euro move with Germany launch | The Lawyer: http://t.co/QTfkHYpW
- One Essex Court and 39 Essex Street set for Singapore as market opens up | Legalweek http://t.co/g7YVpelO
- Ex-Dewey finance chief urges London partners to team up for US defence | Legalweek http://t.co/jLAI7TM4
- Pinsents signs up seven Germany partners for Munich launch | Legalweek http://t.co/yL2Zx2FW
- Field Fisher sees partner profits dip 20% as revenues rise 4% | Legalweek http://t.co/ZWeRMd6D
- New Dundas management team: we’ll simplify and expand the firm | The Lawyer: http://t.co/EQxzXWIb
- Clyde & Co looks to strike out ex-partner's whistleblowing claim | The Lawyer: http://t.co/L7kT23Je
- Government-backed mutual reinsurer Pool Re has appointed Hogan Lovells partner Christian Wells as company secretary and general counsel following the firm’s reappointment of the reinsurer’s incumbent legal chief Helen Chapman. | The Lawyer: http://t.co/fg2udth3
- Clifford Chance partners urged to share contacts for good of corporate | The Lawyer: http://t.co/QCxwkniC
- One Essex Court and 39 Essex Street prepare for Singapore launches | The Lawyer: http://t.co/Svnaqtj6
- BDO refused appeal in bid to recover cash from former Halliwells partner | The Lawyer: http://t.co/DVJ9efwP
Monday 25th June
- Mayer Brown London chief defeats finance head to retain top job | The Lawyer: http://t.co/lNZonkd4
- Herbert Smith sees PEP return to 2006-07 levels as turnover nudges up | The Lawyer: http://t.co/nudh6Yrv
- Mayer Brown hands London senior partner new five-year term | Legalweek http://t.co/WX6GxYmd
- Ex-Dewey partners pursued by banks over professional practice loans | Legalweek http://t.co/HP1kdhP3
- Pinsents set for first redundancy round since McGrigors merger | Legalweek http://t.co/APcPZSW9
- Herbert Smith posts 3% turnover increase as PEP drops 6% | Legalweek http://t.co/HWjMkTKh
- Norton Rose and A&O lead ranking of firms associates want to work for | Legalweek http://t.co/vpIXZetm
- Tech giant Square eyes European panel | The Lawyer: http://t.co/UDdid3BR
- Former Dewey partners gear up for tax bill battle | The Lawyer: http://t.co/KahPSi7A
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