Jean-Yves Gilg

Editor, Solicitors Journal

Loosening up

The courts are beginning to take a more relaxed approach to making an order for security for costs, says Max Robinson

The ruling in Jones v Kernott indicates the court will take greater account of what it considers 'fair' in cohabitation disputes, but will it bring about substantial change or will campaigners have to wait for legislation to reform the law? Adam Colenso considers the likely impact of the decision, while Richard Power, who represented Patricia Jones in the case, gives the inside view

LeO's new naming and shaming policy needs clarification

With the ombudsman set to publish names of lawyers found at fault, firms should take complaints handling more seriously, says Kim Hobbs

When all is said and done

Another week and another announcement by a wannabe ABS that it intends to get into the legal services market big time. First it was QualitySolicitors which suddenly raised the temperature last month by selling up to venture capitalists Palamon Capital. Then, a fortnight ago, Cooperative Legal Services â€“ set up by the Co-op in 2006 before the Legal Services Act even received Royal Assent â€“ said it would launch a family legal advice service as soon as the Solicitors Regulation Authority was in a position to regulate alternative business structures. And last week, In-Deed, the conveyancing service set up by Rightmove founder Harry Hill, said it will buy up law firms to expand its legal services offering into areas such as will writing and personal injury work.

Let's put the ABSolutely into fabulous

None of the law abiding and kind readers of this article would ever own up to doing such a thing. My defence is that my crime is now statute barred and in any event I was at the time below the age of criminal responsibility. All the same I have to confess that in the distant past I would occasionally kick an ants' nest while on a wooded walk and watch the occupants' subsequent frenetic activity as they rushed to repair the damage. If I returned a day later I would find the nest completely reinstated and ready for the next juvenile boot.

Warning signs

Are budget-driven cuts in care funding made by local authorities tantamount to institutional financial abuse? Lawrence Tudin reports

All legal services should be regulated, SRA says

The SRA has called for all legal services to be regulated. In its response to the LSB's consultation paper on the regulation of will writers, the SRA said the decisions made at the time of the Legal Services Act in 2007 had resulted in a â€œsignificantly unsatisfactory system of regulationâ€.

Rightmove founder to buy will writing and personal injury firms

In-Deed, the business set up by Rightmove founder Harry Hill to provide seamless property services including conveyancing, will expand into legal services such as will writing and personal injury as soon as alternative business structures legislation is in place, Solicitors Journal can reveal.

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Jean-Yves Gilg

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