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NLJ this week: Indemnity insurance hikes driving solicitors from practice

11 February 2022
Issue: 7966 / Categories: Legal News , Insurance / reinsurance
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Professional indemnity premiums are increasing (by an average of 30% for small and medium sized firms according to the LexisNexis Bellwether Report 2021), but how serious is the threat, and is it really fuelling an exodus of solicitors from private practice and into the arms of larger firms? Barrister and journalist Veronica Cowan investigates, in this week’s NLJ.

She writes: ‘Professional indemnity insurers are reportedly becoming more risk-averse in areas such as conveyancing, and have been raising premiums to cover potentially high pay-outs. The increased number of solicitors working from home since the pandemic has also increased risk for insurers, particularly for those working in smaller firms without well-established risk, compliance and quality control processes.’ 

MOVERS & SHAKERS

Muckle LLP—Rachael Chapman

Muckle LLP—Rachael Chapman

Sports, education and charities practice welcomes senior associate

Ellisons—Carla Jones

Ellisons—Carla Jones

Partner and head of commercial litigation joins in Chelmsford

Freeths—Louise Mahon

Freeths—Louise Mahon

Firm strengthens Glasgow corporate practice with partner hire

NEWS
One in five in-house lawyers suffer ‘high’ or ‘severe’ work-related stress, according to a report by global legal body, the Association of Corporate Counsel (ACC)
The Legal Ombudsman’s (LeO’s) plea for a budget increase has been rejected by the Law Society and accepted only ‘with reluctance’ by conveyancers
Overcrowded prisons, mental health hospitals and immigration centres are failing to meet international and domestic human rights standards, the National Preventive Mechanism (NPM) has warned
Two speedier and more streamlined qualification routes have been launched for probate and conveyancing professionals
Workplace stress was a contributing factor in almost one in eight cases before the employment tribunal last year, indicating its endemic grip on the UK workplace
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