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Levelling up access to justice (Pt 2)

16 July 2021 / Roger Smith
Issue: 7941 / Categories: Opinion , Legal aid focus , Profession
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In a second special update on the justice system, Roger Smith turns his attention to technology, private practice & low income clients

Last month, ownership of QualitySolicitors passed to yet another venture capitalist firm. Metamorph’s celebration was upbeat: this was part of its plan to be ‘one of the leading law groups focused on the private client and SME market’. Truth to tell, however QualitySolicitiors, has actually proved a bit of a dud. Formed in 2009 with high hopes, members never hit remotely near the original target of 1,000. Turnover was reported as under £1m last year. However, the news is significant for those interested in the impact of technology on legal practice for people on low incomes.

QualitySolicitors, let us remind ourselves, was formed originally as a response to Co-operative Legal Services (CLS), the pioneer in nationally branded, fixed fee, variously packaged services. The emergence of this alternative business structure with an internet interface and array of packages panicked the solicitors’ legal profession. ‘Are we’, they wondered,

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MOVERS & SHAKERS

Birketts—trainee cohort

Birketts—trainee cohort

Firm welcomes new cohort of 29 trainee solicitors for 2025

Keoghs—four appointments

Keoghs—four appointments

Four partner hires expand legal expertise in Scotland and Northern Ireland

Brabners—Ben Lamb

Brabners—Ben Lamb

Real estate team in Yorkshire welcomes new partner

NEWS
Robert Taylor of 360 Law Services warns in this week's NLJ that adoption of artificial intelligence (AI) risks entrenching disadvantage for SME law firms, unless tools are tailored to their needs
The Court of Protection has ruled in Macpherson v Sunderland City Council that capacity must be presumed unless clearly rebutted. In this week's NLJ, Sam Karim KC and Sophie Hurst of Kings Chambers dissect the judgment and set out practical guidance for advisers faced with issues relating to retrospective capacity and/or assessments without an examination
Delays and dysfunction continue to mount in the county court, as revealed in a scathing Justice Committee report and under discussion this week by NLJ columnist Professor Dominic Regan of City Law School. Bulk claims—especially from private parking firms—are overwhelming the system, with 8,000 cases filed weekly
Charles Pigott of Mills & Reeve charts the turbulent progress of the Employment Rights Bill through the House of Lords, in this week's NLJ
From oligarchs to cosmetic clinics, strategic lawsuits against public participation (SLAPPs) target journalists, activists and ordinary citizens with intimidating legal tactics. Writing in NLJ this week, Sadie Whittam of Lancaster University explores the weaponisation of litigation to silence critics
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