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10 November 2011 / Anna Bradley
Issue: 7488 / Categories: Opinion , Legal services
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A new dawn

Anna Bradley predicts a bright future for alternative business structures

Alternative business structures (ABSs) could be the catalyst for dramatic change in the shape and culture of the legal sector. On 6 October providers were given a new opportunity to deliver what their consumers need, in the way they want to access it. This landmark change represents a huge opportunity for forward-thinking legal service providers and that is why the Council for Licensed Conveyancers (CLC) has grasped the chance to be the first to licence ABS.

The CLC record

The CLC is itself a creature of innovation, established in 1985 to open up the conveyancing market to non-solicitors, creating more consumer choice. It now regulates over 200 recognised bodies and over a thousand individuals—some 10%-15% of the conveyancing market by turnover.

The CLC believes in the benefits of opening up the legal services market to make it more competitive and focused on the consumers it should serve. The CLC’s designation as a licensing authority is a symbol of willingness to embrace change and

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Jurit LLP—Caroline Williams

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NEWS
Talk of a reserved ‘Welsh seat’ on the Supreme Court is misplaced. In NLJ this week, Professor Graham Zellick KC explains that the Constitutional Reform Act treats ‘England and Wales’ as one jurisdiction, with no statutory Welsh slot
The government’s plan to curb jury trials has sparked ‘jury furore’. Writing in NLJ this week, David Locke, partner at Hill Dickinson, says the rationale is ‘grossly inadequate’
A year after the $1.5bn Bybit heist, crypto fraud is booming—but so is recovery. Writing in NLJ this week, Neil Holloway, founder and CEO of M2 Recovery, warns that scams hit at least $14bn in 2025, fuelled by ‘pig butchering’ cons and AI deepfakes
After Woodcock confirmed no general duty to warn, debate turns to the criminal law. Writing in NLJ this week, Charles Davey of The Barrister Group urges revival of misprision or a modern equivalent
Family courts are tightening control of expert evidence. Writing in NLJ this week, Dr Chris Pamplin says there is ‘no automatic right’ to call experts; attendance must be ‘necessary in the interests of justice’ under FPR Pt 25
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