header-logo header-logo

02 May 2019 / Michael Burne
Issue: 7838 / Categories: Features , Profession , Legal services
printer mail-detail

Law conversion course

What are the benefits of the alternative business structure, & is it right for you? Michael Burne provides a rundown of the ABS route

  •  Substance or form—if you’re not an ABS already, should you convert?

It’s been a while since I have been surprised on Valentine’s Day. But that was the date on which the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) confirmed the conversion of our authorised body law firm to an alternative business structure (ABS). As a so called ‘next generation’ law firm, it begs the question: why now? Many assumed we already were an ABS law firm and were surprised to find this wasn’t the case. When we started our firm, ABS was new, the SRA was developing its process and resourcing, and we didn’t need to be one. So we kept it simple and started as a limited company authorised body. That structure has served us well, but as our business strategy, formed in 2014, was executed, we knew that a change would be needed.

Why now?

So why now? Tom Cruise

If you are not a subscriber, subscribe now to read this content
If you are already a subscriber sign in
...or Register for two weeks' free access to subscriber content

MOVERS & SHAKERS

Harneys—Maggie Kwok & George Weston

Harneys—Maggie Kwok & George Weston

Harneys senior leadership appointments

Freeths—Keith Browne & Jim Jordan

Freeths—Keith Browne & Jim Jordan

Freeths strengthens London Construction and Engineering practice with two strategic senior hires

Anthony Collins—Laura Moss

Anthony Collins—Laura Moss

Anthony Collins announces strategic hire to deepen skills base in the social business sector

NEWS
Existing defamation law can respond to AI ‘hallucinations’, but allocating responsibility will prove harder where outputs reach users without human intervention
The High Court has upheld a rare successful serious-irregularity challenge after an arbitrator relied on an implied term neither party had advanced
Thirty years after The Future of Law shook a profession still using fax machines, its central forecast looks increasingly less like prophecy and more like description
More than 100 teams from the legal and financial services sectors competed in five sports at the 51st Law Society RFC Festival of Sport earlier this month
Part-time status need only be an effective cause of less favourable treatment, rather than the sole cause, the Supreme Court has held in Augustine v Data Cars
back-to-top-scroll