Forty applications for Alternative Business Structure (ABS) licenses reached the formal decision phase in the Solicitors Regulation Authority's (SRA) approval process between April and September this year, according to statistics.

The Legal Ombudsman (LeO), for the time being, will not accept complaints from third parties – that is individuals who are not the lawyer’s direct client. This is due to concerns that it is difficult to define which third-party cases should be included and which should be left out of the settlement process. Additional worries included the impact on LeO charges and workload and the negative Scottish track record in accepting third-party complaints.

Quality is the main thing clients want from their legal services providers, with the cost sinking in priority when consumers receive the right service and advice, new research has found.

Conveyancing Direct was one of four conveyancing businesses awarded an Alternative Business Structure (ABS) licence by the Council for Licensed Conveyancers (CLC) in October. Red Legal, Advantage Property Lawyers (APL) and Runnett & Co were the other three licensed by the CLC last month. The latest entry, Vickery Conveyancing, which received ABS status on 7 November, brings the total ABS licences issued by the CLC to fourteen.

A three-month consultation across the funeral industry has begun for a new national charter that outlines the necessary standards for serving customers who have opted for a natural burial.

Anti Money Laundering checks are an important part of the estate administration process. Kings Court Trust’s Anti Money Laundering Reporting Officer (MLRO), Nigel Merchant, explains why we need to carry out these checks and what this means for Executors.

Effective complaint handling helps legal service providers to build a solid reputation and can have a positive impact on business, says a recent YouGov report, commissioned by the Legal Ombudsman and the Legal Services Consumer Panel.

58% of adults don’t have a Will and have been putting off writing down their wishes for the time when they ‘get older’ so they don’t feel like they’re ‘tempting fate.’ If this sounds familiar to you, read on to find out why November may be the time to finally make a Will…

58% of UK adults don’t have a Will, according to new research.