On 7 May 2025, California Assembly Bill 931, introduced by Assembly Member Ash Kalra, was referred to the Judiciary Committee following several amendments. The bill proposes comprehensive regulations under the State Bar Act concerning consumer legal funding and legal fee-sharing practices. Assembly Bill 931 defines “consumer legal funding” as a nonrecourse transaction in which a funding…
Australia and United Kingdom develop legal services regulatory dialogue
A development has been reported by the Law Council of Australia in its statement dated 11 April 2025, welcoming the continued progress of the Australia–United Kingdom Legal Services Regulatory Dialogue, established under the Australia–UK Free Trade Agreement (A-UKFTA). In its commentary, the Law Council highlighted the importance of this Dialogue in advancing cooperation on legal…
Regulatory leadership on access to justice
The Legal Services Consumer Panel has issued a report titled “Regulatory Leadership on Access to Justice”, prepared by Nottingham Law School. This report discusses how legal services regulators in England and Wales can play a more active and strategic role in addressing the ongoing challenges surrounding access to justice. It emphasises that access to justice…
Consultation on the draft business plan and budget for 2025/26 of the Legal Services Board of England and Wales
The Legal Services Board (LSB) of England and Wales has proposed a new draft business plan for 2025/26, aiming to address systemic challenges in the legal sector and advance its ten-year strategy for delivering fairer outcomes, stronger confidence, and better services. This plan builds on previous initiatives while targeting new priorities to enhance regulation and…
The Chair of the House of Commons Justice Committee has presented eight key recommendations following their examination of the regulation of the legal professions in England and Wales
Sir Bob Neill KC, Chair of the House of Commons Justice Committee of the UK Parliament, has written to UK Lord Chancellor Alex Chalk KC, presenting eight key recommendations following the Committee’s examination of the regulation of the legal professions in England and Wales, highlighting the need for a review of the Legal Services Board…
The Association of Chartered Certified Accountants is removed as an approved regulator by the Legal Services Board
On February 29, 2024, the Lord Chancellor accepted the recommendation from the LSB to approve The Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA)’s application to cancel its designation as an approved regulator under the Legal Services Act (2007). This decision followed a recommendation made by the LSB in July 2022, which came after ACCA confirmed that…
The Institute for the Advancement of the American Legal System (IAALS) produces report exploring civil justice reform
In Autumn 2021, IAALS launched the Paths to Justice virtual summit series, focusing on challenges and opportunities for systemic change in the justice system. The series fostered conversations among stakeholders and led to the publication of various white papers corresponding to key discussions. These papers have now been consolidated into a single report titled “Paths…
Solicitors Regulation Authority of England and Wales issues first fines of new fixed penalty regime
The Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) has issued £750 fines to seven law firms for non-compliance with its transparency rules. This follows similar penalties issued to three firms in November 2023. The SRA introduced fixed penalties to deal with non-complex breaches more efficiently. Firms are given notices of potential fines and the opportunity to rectify the…
Access to justice and legal services regulatory reform
Sandefur, R. L., & Denne, E. (2022). Access to justice and legal services regulatory reform. Annual Review of Law and Social Science, 18, 27-42. Researchers have launched a new era of studies exploring relationships between legal services regulation and access to justice. These scholarly developments respond to recent changes in how Anglo-American jurisdictions regulate the practice of…
Scottish Parliament introduces Regulation of Legal Services (Scotland) Bill
The Scottish Parliament has brought in a new regulatory framework to change the way the Scottish legal market is regulated. The Bill provides for more competition and innovation in the regulation and provision of legal services. Existing regulators will retain their regulatory function but must become independent from other functions such as representing the membership…