The EU Regular Economic Report (RER) is a periodic publication of the World Bank Group and covers economic developments and prospects, as well as economic policies in the European Union. The report focuses on four regional sub-groups that share broad economic similarities (see map): Central Europe comprises Bulgaria, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, Romania,…
Report on regulation and productivity in Europe’s professional services markets
Europe has had a persistent low growth problem over much of the past decade, exacerbated by the severe economic contraction triggered by the financial crisis, when EU GDP fell by 4.5% in 2009 alone. Since then, the European economy has been characterised by low growth rates, stubborn unemployment and stagnant productivity. According to European Commission…
IMF working paper: Structural reform in Germany
This paper provides a quantitative evaluation of the macroeconomic, distributional, and fiscal effects of three reform proposals for Germany: i) a reduction in the social security tax in the low-wage sector, ii) a publicly financed expansion of full-day child care and full-day schooling, and iii) the further deregulation of the professional services sector. The analysis…
The Legal Problems of Everyday Life: The Nature, Extent and Consequences of Justiciable Problems Experienced by Canadians
The purpose of this study is to inform policy makers about the incidence of civil justice problems and the extent of unmet need for assistance that justiciable problems in civil matters might represent. The study assumes a broad view of civil justice problems and unmet need. The broad view looks at the problem of civil…
Initial Report to the Minister of Justice and Equality on MultiDisciplinary Practices
This report, produced by Hook Tangaza, was commissioned through McDowell Purcell Solicitors by the Legal Services Regulatory Authority (“the Authority”) in Ireland. It is intended to assist the Authority in fulfilling its obligations under section 119 of the Legal Services Regulation Act 2015 (“the Act”). Section 119 requires the Authority to make an initial report…
Legal Services: removing barriers to competition. Consultation on proposals to make amendments to the Legal Services Act 2007
This consultation sets out the UK government’s proposals to amend the regulatory framework for legal services to reduce barriers to the licensing of, and regulatory burdens on, legal service businesses that are licensed as Alternative Business Structures, bringing the legislative framework for these businesses more in line with that for other legal service businesses. Link…
OECD: Protecting and promoting competition in response to ‘disruptive’ innovations in legal services
This document was prepared by the OECD Secretariat to serve as an issues paper at the 61th meeting of the OECD Working Party No. 2 on Competition and Regulation (13 June 2016). This paper introduces recent disruptive innovations in legal services markets, as well as the overarching trends giving rise to them. The role for…
Review of the National Organization of Bar Counsel’s mid-year meeting
Commencing on January 30, 2018, the National Organization of Bar Counsel (“NOBC”) convened its Mid-Year Meeting in Vancouver, British Columbia. With approximately 145 regulators, ethics counsel, federal agency representatives and adjudicators in attendance, the conference began with remarks from Grand Chief Edward John who shared with NOBC members the history of the indigenous people of…
Legal Services Board gives go-ahead to the first stage of reforms to how solicitors qualify
Responding to the Legal Services Board’s approval of the framework for changes to how solicitors are admitted to the profession, employers and education suppliers are being urged to push ahead with their preparations for the introduction of the Solicitors Qualifying Examination (SQE). The SQE, which will not come in before September 2020, will involve a…
The Bar Standards Board: new consultation launched
In March, the Bar Standards Board (BSB) launched a new consultation seeking views on the final phase of the Governance Reform outlined in its 2016-19 Strategic Plan. The BSB now proposes to change how it deals with the information it receives as the regulator and to revise its decision-making structures in relation to professional conduct…