BSB employed barristers
BSB plans to relax restrictions on employed barristers
See Gazette article
Veyo departures and appointments
Now all change at Legal Practice Technologies [LPT] with new challenges from Free2Convey, Free2Convey portal the Free to Use Conveyancing Portal backed by the Legal Software Suppliers Association [LSSA]
New LPT chief executive Simon Drane said “The first job for any new CEO is to review and evaluate the product.
“This will identify what needs to be done to make Veyo available to conveyancers as soon as we are satisfied that it has the functions and usability to be a market leader.”
The Law Society has invested over £5m in Legal Practice Technologies, the joint venture set up to deliver Veyo.
ISO 9001:2015 Quality Management System now updated
ISO 9001:2015 the Quality Management System is designed to respond to the latest trends and be compatible with other management systems such as ISO 14001.
SRA Sole Practitioners Authorisation and PC renewals
From the renewal of your practising Certificate you will no longer require endorsement each year by the SRA.
From 1 November 2015 the Code of Conduct will be amended to reflect the change.
LeO’s application ADR approved body
Legal Ombudsman’s (LeO) application to the Legal Services Board (LSB) to become certified as an ADR approved body for the purposes of the ADR Directive has been withdrawn.
EU Directive on consumer alternative dispute resolution (ADR Directive)
Solicitors must comply by 1 October 2015 with the ADR Directive.
Chartered Trading Standards Institute’s approved list Trading Standards approved list
ReviewSolicitors sign up 300 firms
Legal Futures ReviewSolicitors
Ex QualitySolicitors COO Saleem Arif has a new business. ReviewSolicitors claim over 300 firms signed up along with Redbrick Solutions to give ‘Trip Adviser’ type feedback.
More case management firms to follow DPS etc but at £250 per month seems somewhat expensive for the Premium Service.
Specialist firm(1 or 2 areas of law)
£250 per month, plus £50 per additional branch
Just visited the site and the second review shown was as follows :
“Have rang a number of times to be told I would be called back and the calls are never returned sometimes have waited over a week. I was going for an order to get my child removed from her fathers care due to domestic violence in January and because there emailing system was down it took a number of days more to sort out. I have now been sent a bill 8 months later for over £2000 when the only 2 times they represented me I had legal aid and they never told me i would be charged. Stay clear of them just in it for the money absolutely useless ! I did a better job in court representing myself. The solicitor came to court and had to go somewhere to type all the paperwork up because didn’t have it prepared properly stay clear at all costs !”
The site helpfully shows all adjacent (signed up) firms in the area.
Sometimes a good idea can become a nightmare for a firm.
Metro Bank and Newcastle Building Society panel restrictions
Metro Bank and Newcastle Building Society are among the institutions that have introduced new restrictions. They now require firms to have at least 120 purchase completions registered with Land Registry over the past 12 months.
Jonathan Smithers, president of the Law Society, said: ‘The number of transactions a firm has completed, particularly for smaller firms, does not necessarily indicate the quality of that firm’s work. We would urge lenders to look at qualitative indicators such as membership of the Conveyancing Quality Scheme when selecting firms.’
LeO Proposed changes to the Scheme Rules
LeO Proposed changes to the Scheme Rules
This will affect Scheme Rules 4.4a, 4.4b, 4.5, 4.6 and 5.7 in particular. Full details will be included in the consultation document.
Background to the Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) Directive and Regulations2
The EU published a Directive on ADR in May 2013. The requirements of the Directive come into force in UK law through Regulations made under the European Communities Act 1972.
The purpose of the Directive is to:
- Ensure that all consumers in the EU have access to an ADR scheme to seek redress when they have experienced problems with goods and services that they have purchased;
- Set some common quality standards for ADR providers, for example, in relation to how quickly complaints are dealt with; and
- To reduce consumer confusion.
In January 2016 these regulations will be supplemented by the requirements for Online Dispute Resolution (ODR), which will provide amongst other things for an online platform to signpost consumers through to the correct ADR body, and to facilitate cross-border disputes.
Yorkshire Building Society and CQS
The Yorkshire Building Society now require CQS accreditation to remain on their panel.