Reform of Legal Services Feature
Reform of Legal Services FeatureGovernment Measures to Reduce Legal Firm Red Tape Moves Closer
DCA Press Release
25 July 2006
Measures to remove layers of red tape and bureaucratic regulation
from the way legal services are provided moved closer today as
Government received the report of a committee that has been
examining the proposals.
But the Law Society sees it differently:
Government Must Act to Improve Draft Legal Services Bill
Law Society Press Release
25 July 2006
The Government must act on the findings of a cross-party group of
MPs and Peers to ensure that the Legal Services Bill, which is
expected to be introduced in the next session of parliament,
builds on the strengths of the existing regulatory regime. The
Joint Committee has recommended that the Bill should be changed to
ensure that the new Legal Services Board works in partnership with
existing regulators and the Board’s formal powers are used only
when necessary.
And the Bar Council:
Bar Recommends Ministers to Act on Report on
Draft Legal Services Bill
Bar Council Press Release
25 July 2006
Ministers should act on the report of the Joint Committee on the
draft Legal Services Bill, published today, the Bar Council has
said. The report, from a cross-party committee of MPs and Peers
chaired by Lord Hunt of the Wirral, says that the Government's
proposals have the potential to cause damage to the independence
of the legal profession and that estimated costs of setting up a
new regulatory system for legal services are 'speculative at
best'. The committee says Ministers should reappraise the costs
and provide pump-priming funds for the new system. It also warns
that a 'one size fits all' approach to complaints handling may not
be suitable in all cases. The proposed new Office for Legal
Complaints should have the power to delegate service as well as
conduct complaints to an approved regulator, such as the Bar
Council's Bar Standards Board.