The SRA has delivered significant regulatory reform to the legal market in recent years, key developments have included the introduction of: Alternative Business Structures (ABSs) in 2012 Multi-Disciplinary Practices (MDPs) in 2014 the reformed separate business rule in 2015 To help the SRA understand the early impact of these changes, including identifying evidence of any…
Solicitors Regulation Authority takes steps to promote innovation
Following consultation last year, the SRA Innovate initiative will continue to encourage the development of new services while ensuring proper safeguards for the public are in place. Early indications from the pilots are that this type of facility is useful for small firms, larger providers and new entrants to the legal services market. The opportunity…
Update on legal and regulatory reforms in Nigeria
Back in September 2017 we reported on the Nigerian Bar Association’s legal and regulatory reform objectives. Since then a number of initiatives have been undertaken. The NBA President, Abubakar Balarabe Mahmoud, recently attended a meeting with the Body of Senior Advocates of Nigeria (BOSAN) and presented them with a number of documents for review: An executive summary…
D.C. Bar: eliminating admission barriers for foreign law graduates
The D.C. Bar Board of Governors has submitted proposed amendments to certain provisions of Court of Appeals Rule 46, which governs admission of non-ABA-accredited law school graduates, including foreign-educated individuals, to the D.C. Bar. Under the proposed amendments, graduates from non-ABA-accredited law schools, including graduates of foreign law schools, may qualify for Bar admission by…
State Bar of California publishes 2017 Annual Discipline Report
In 2017 the State Bar and its prosecutorial arm, the Office of Chief Trial Counsel, implemented a number of comprehensive structural and process re-engineering reforms designed to improve public protection for all California residents. Given the ambitious nature of these reforms, key measures from the report indicate a decline in short-term performance as compared to…
Proposal to eliminate standardised test requirement for US law schools
The requirement that American Bar Association-approved law schools require applicants to submit a standardised law school admissions test as part of their application could soon become optional. The Standards Review Committee of the Council of the American Bar Association’s Section of Legal Education and Admissions to the Bar advanced a proposal to eliminate the requirement…
Singapore Academy of Law launches programme to create a vibrant ecosystem for legal tech
The Singapore Academy of Law has now formally launched its Future Law Innovation Programme (FLIP) and will work with the Singapore Management University (SMU), among others, to drive change. FLIP initially will run a two-year pilot programme to encourage the adoption of technology, drive innovation and ‘create a vibrant ecosystem for legal technology‘ in the important SE…
Singapore: unclaimed Money Fund to fund pro bono services
Recent amendments to the Legal Profession Act, passed in Parliament on 20 March, have provided a practical solution to unclaimed client money. Currently, if a client becomes uncontactable, the legislation does not provide for what happens to unclaimed client money, and a law practice would have to continue to hold such money. The amendments to…
Help for Singapore lawyers to venture overseas
Earlier this year the Ministry of Law (MinLaw), the Law Society of Singapore (LawSoc) and International Enterprise (IE) Singapore launched a new programme to help Singapore lawyers and law firms venture overseas. Called “Lawyers Go Global”, the programme will connect Singapore legal expertise with global opportunities, through overseas mission trips, training, and branding and marketing. The…
Singapore: Collaboration to drive thought leadership in legal education policy
The Law Society of Singapore and The College of Law have committed to develop and deliver legal education and training programmes to meet the needs of the legal profession in Singapore. This is the first time the Law Society has collaborated with a legal education provider. Usually, the Law Society collaborates with other bar associations….