16 March 2012 / David Greene

Issue: 7505 / Categories: Opinion , Legal services , Profession

printer

mail-detail

Time for a new model?

© Copyright LexisNexis 2026. All Rights Reserved.

Has the partnership model had its day? David Greene reports

Way back in 2007, the main change perpetrated by the Legal Services Act seemed to be a shake-up in regulation of solicitors overseen by the Legal Services Board (LSB). One would hardly have considered at the time that other provisions of the Legal Services Act were going to set the world alight. The latest piece in the Legal Services Act jigsaw, however, the creation of alternative business structures (ABSs), may yet convert the Act into the legal service’s “big bang.”

A brief history

The Legal Services Act 2007 brought changes in three areas of practice.

First, it created the LSB to oversee the regulation of legal services by approved regulators such as the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) and the Bar Standards Board. When the Council for Licensed Conveyancers also secured a licence from the LSB, it was thought that perhaps competition between regulators might open up the market. That may well happen in the future, but the changes thus far

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

Time for a new model?

© Copyright LexisNexis 2026. All Rights Reserved.

Has the partnership model had its day? David Greene reports

Way back in 2007, the main change perpetrated by the Legal Services Act seemed to be a shake-up in regulation of solicitors overseen by the Legal Services Board (LSB). One would hardly have considered at the time that other provisions of the Legal Services Act were going to set the world alight. The latest piece in the Legal Services Act jigsaw, however, the creation of alternative business structures (ABSs), may yet convert the Act into the legal service’s “big bang.”

A brief history

The Legal Services Act 2007 brought changes in three areas of practice.

First, it created the LSB to oversee the regulation of legal services by approved regulators such as the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) and the Bar Standards Board. When the Council for Licensed Conveyancers also secured a licence from the LSB, it was thought that perhaps competition between regulators might open up the market. That may well happen in the future, but the changes thus far

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

SourceURL:

Links:

E-newsletter Sign-Up

MOVERS & SHAKERS

Clarke Willmott—Matthew Roach

Clarke Willmott—Matthew Roach

Partner joins commercial property team in Taunton office

Farrer & Co—Richard Lane

Farrer & Co—Richard Lane

Londstanding London firm appoints new senior partner

Bird & Bird—Sue McLean

Bird & Bird—Sue McLean

Commercial team in London welcomes technology specialist as partner

NEWS

NLJ this week: Is inequality undermining trust?

The legal profession’s claim to be a ‘guardian of fairness’ is under scrutiny after stark findings on gender imbalance and opaque progression. Writing in NLJ this week, Joshua Purser of No5 Barristers’ Chambers and Govindi Deerasinghe of Global 50/50 warn that leadership remains dominated by a narrow elite, with men holding 71% of top court roles

NLJ this week: Freemasons ruling backs police transparency over privacy claims

A legal challenge to police disclosure rules has failed, reinforcing a push for transparency in policing. In NLJ this week, Neil Parpworth examines a case where the Metropolitan Police required officers to declare membership of groups like the Freemasons

NLJ this week: Right to grieve marks ‘major shift’ in employment law

Bereavement leave is undergoing a quiet but profound transformation. Writing in NLJ this week, Robert Hargreaves of York St John University explains how the Employment Rights Act 2025 introduces a day-one right to leave for a wider range of losses, alongside new provisions for pregnancy loss and bereaved partners

NLJ this week: AI privilege battles expose risks

Courts are beginning to grapple with whether AI-generated material is legally privileged—and the answers are mixed. In this week's issue of NLJ, Stacie Bourton, Tom Whittaker & Beata Kolodziej of Burges Salmon examine US rulings showing how easily privilege can be lost

NLJ this week: Experts warned—AI use must be transparent

New guidance seeks to bring order to the growing use of artificial intelligence (AI) in expert evidence. Writing in NLJ this week, Minesh Tanna and David Bridge of Simmons & Simmons set out a framework stressing ‘transparency’, ‘explainability’ and ‘reliability’

back-to-top-scroll