Regulators are poised to consider radical rule changes that could decisively open the way to allowing non-lawyers into the legal profession of the US’s most populous state. The State Bar of California voted earlier this month to accept a report from legal academic Professor William D. Henderson calling for structural reforms to the way the…
Call for Publications: Journal for the Professional Lawyer
The American Bar Association Center for Professional Responsibility Publications Board is seeking submissions for publication in Journal of the Professional Lawyer, a peer-reviewed annual publication which typically features longer articles than the Center’s magazine, covering topics in greater depth, in law review format. The deadline for articles for the 2018 edition of Journal of the…
Netherlands Bar Association launches research into innovation and digitalization in the legal profession
More than 1,300 lawyers participated in the recent NOvA survey on strategy, innovation and digitization. The results will be published after the summer. The survey is part of a broader investigation into developments affecting the future of the legal profession in the Netherlands, which the NOvA is expected to complete by the end of this year. Changes…
Bar Standards Board shares good practice for barristers and advice for clients on consumer feedback
The Bar Standards Board (BSB) has today published new guidance that aims to encourage barristers to follow good practice when they receive feedback from their clients. It has also published a guide for the public about using and leaving feedback about barristers’ services. Along with the other legal regulators, the BSB was asked by the Competition and Markets Authority…
New York City Bar Association E-Discovery Working Group publishes guide on cross-border e-Discovery
SUMMARY The New York City Bar Association’s E-Discovery Working Group issued a report examining the challenges of conducting discovery when the scope of discovery exceeds US borders. The Committee lays out the most common circumstances in which cross-border discovery would occur, including issues of personal jurisdiction over foreign parties as well as cases of US subsidiaries of…
Bar Standards Board explains how it assures competence at the Bar
Following its decision last year not to implement the Quality Assurance Scheme for Advocates (QASA), the Bar Standards Board (BSB) has today published more detail about how it assures the competence of barristers. The approach reflects the BSB’s move in the last few years to become a more risk- and evidence-based regulator that takes better targeted action to maintain…
Event: NOBC Annual Conference 2018
The National Organization of Bar Counsel (NOBC) are holding their annual conference on 1-4 August in Chicago.
D.C. Bar seeking views on changes to Rule 46
In May we reported that the D.C. Bar Board of Governors had submitted proposed amendments to certain provisions of Court of Appeals Rule 46. This Rule governs admission of non-ABA-accredited law school graduates, including foreign-educated individuals, to the D.C. Bar. Michael Rybak, Senior Staff Attorney of the Office of Regulation Counsel at the D.C. Bar has been…
SRA consultation on protecting the users of legal services
The SRA has launched a consultation on “Protecting the users of legal services: balancing cost and access to legal services”. While most people are happy with the service they receive from solicitors and regulated law firms, things can and do go wrong. It is crucial that the public can trust that when things go wrong…
The Law Society of Scotland launches price transparency consultation
The Law Society of Scotland is asking the legal profession and consumer bodies for their views on price transparency for legal services. The consultation, Price transparency – promoting consumer choice, aims to stimulate discussion within the legal profession and among other stakeholders, including consumer-interest groups, and is seeking views on the benefits and challenges of…