New Zealand has amended the Lawyers and Conveyancers Act 2006 to permit the Lawyers Complaints Service to undertake an initial administrative assessment of eligible complaints before deciding whether they must proceed to a Standards Committee. The Service may take no action or no further action where specified grounds apply, including where the passage of time…
Québec funds community-based jurists through Info Justice centres
Québec’s Ministry of Justice, the Barreau du Québec and the Chambre des notaires have announced C$7.5 million in funding over three years to recruit 19 jurists and three administrative support staff through the provinces Info Justice centres. The new resources are to be distributed across Québec so that each jurist can support several community organisations,…
California Supreme Court seeks views on Community Justice Worker programme Short version
The California Supreme Court has directed the State Bar of California to circulate a proposed rule of court for public comment on the creation of a Community Justice Worker programme. The proposal would permit trained nonlawyers to work alongside, and under the supervision of, lawyers at approved legal aid organisations, providing free and limited legal…
New Zealand launches Accessible and Affordable Justice programme
New Zealand’s Ministry of Justice has launched the Accessible and Affordable Justice programme following the 2025 review of the legal aid system. The Ministry has published a summary of consultation feedback and Cabinet material from the review, which considered how the legal aid scheme is operating and where improvements may be needed. The programme will take forward…
AI law firm wins court case in the UK
An AI law firm, Garfield AI, authorised and regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority has won a small debt claim in an English court, in what has been reported as a UK and global first. The case concerned unpaid fees owed to a freelance HR consultant and is being reported as an example of regulated…
UK launches Advisory AI Growth Lab to support responsible AI adoption in legal services
The UK Government has launched an Advisory AI Growth Lab, a new advisory sandbox intended to support the development and deployment of AI products and services. Legal services will be the first sector to participate, reflecting demand for clearer and more coordinated information on how existing regulatory frameworks apply to AI-enabled legal services. The Lab will…
The coming revival of the PeopleLaw sector
In his latest newsletter, Canadian commentator Jordan Furlong argues that generative AI or GenAI is beginning to reshape the legal market in ways that could reduce the profession’s focus on corporate and organisational clients. Data highlighted by Professor William Henderson, notes that the share of legal receipts generated by organisational clients in the United States rose from 47.8% in 1972 to…
British Columbia introduces virtual court registry counter to support access to justice
British Columbia has introduced a virtual counter service for court registries, allowing members of the public to obtain procedural guidance, access forms, and receive basic support via video or telephone. The service is designed to centralise access to court registries, enabling staff (trained in this) to support users across different regions through a single digital…
Pooled client accounts: Proposed changes risk placing substantial new burdens on solicitors
The Law Society of England and Wales has raised strong concerns regarding the UK Government’s proposed amendments to the Money Laundering, Terrorist Financing (Amendment and Miscellaneous Provision) Regulations 2025. The draft regulations would require solicitors to conduct full customer due diligence on all clients whose funds are held in pooled client accounts—bank accounts where a…
Solicitors Regulation Authority moves to strengthen oversight of high-volume consumer claims sector
The Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) of England and Wales has intensified its scrutiny of the high-volume consumer claims (HVCC) market, where law firms handle mass claims such as housing disrepair, data breaches, and motor finance complaints. While the HVCC model can enhance access to justice, the SRA’s thematic review has revealed widespread compliance and transparency…