The property market won't pick up until the debris of the financial crisis is cleared and lenders regain confidence, so what does the future hold for conveyancers? Brian Chrystal investigates
The green paper post-mortem paints a bleak picture of what civil legal aid provision will look like if the MoJ gets its way. For firms intent on continuing to provide legal aid services, the proposed ten per cent fee cut will slice such a large chunk off their thin profit margins that their very existence will be in question, possibly leaving only large volume suppliers in that space. Some sectors are already predicting that practices will have to turn away half of their clients, making substantial restructures, redundancies and closures a distinct possibility. So, as firms begin to digest the details of the coalition's consultation on legal aid cuts, the worst hit offer a snapshot of what their services may look like come the revolution.
Richard Waite and Susan Riitala round up the coalition's overhaul of the regulators and consider the implications of that European privilege ruling on competition lawyers
The new grading system for conveyancers could be a much-needed shot in the arm for an industry on its knees, hopes one of the scheme's architects, Jonathan Smithers
Nottingham City Council, Luton Borough Council and Waltham Forest in London have launched judicial reviews against education secretary Michael Gove's decision to scrap the building schools for the future (BSF) programme.
