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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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MOVERS & SHAKERS

Harneys—Maggie Kwok & George Weston

Harneys—Maggie Kwok & George Weston

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

Anthony Collins—Laura Moss

Anthony Collins—Laura Moss

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NEWS
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
Britain’s new acknowledgement that Israel’s occupation is unlawful, and accompanying settlement-goods ban and sanctions, is significant but overdue, argue Danny Friedman KC and Victor Kattan in NLJ this week
New planning fee rises, wider trade union access rights and a service-by-email trap feature in Stephen Gold’s latest Civil Way
Existing defamation law can respond to AI ‘hallucinations’, but allocating responsibility will prove harder where outputs reach users without human intervention
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