Home-grown brands such as Saga and The AA have already thrown their lines in the legal services water and The Co-op has made no secret of its intention to develop its own legal offering. Over the summer a number of non-UK enterprises raised the stakes when they declared their interest in the online legal services market. US start-up LegalZoom raised $66m from venture capitalists Kleiner Perkins and Institutional Venture Partners and its founders have made a number of trips to Britain in recent months. It already has a reported annual turnover of $100m and is preparing for stock market flotation.
Do those without a legal interest in the homes they live in – such as spouses, partners and children – have a right to bring a private nuisance claim? Gregory Jones QC and Rebecca Clutten investigate
High-net-worth individuals seeking solace from the Gaines-Cooper ruling will be tempted to look at the forthcoming new statutory residence test, but even that will impose strict conditions on tax exiles, say David Anderson and Andinee Pillay Jagambrun
Far from being a victory for the Independent Schools Council, the Upper Tribunal ruling on the interpretation of the 'public benefit' test vindicates the Charity Commission's careful approach to the letter of the law, says Alice Holt
What a relief for the profession. Judging by the number of applications for law courses, its future is safe. Graduate interest in law is still measured in thousands this year, with 13,139 applications, according to UCAS's latest figures. That's fewer than last year, for sure, which recorded 13,858 applications for law courses, but the drop is only 5.2 per cent – much better than the 7.9 per cent average across all subjects combined.
The government may be keen for not-for-profit organisations to provide deputyship services, but solicitors' advice will always be needed – particularly in more complicated cases, says Charlotte Watts
With growing competition and increasingly complex client situations, solicitors should avoid head-on competition with the new 'Tesco law' entrants and instead stay focused on the need to see will writing as part of a long-term end-to-end service, argues John Bunker
Sue Ashtiany considers the default retirement age, the new regulations for agency workers, the extended qualifying period for unfair dismissal claims and cases on religious belief
