Comment
Counting the cost
Law Management Section chair Chris Hart discusses this issue’s financial focus, and bids farewell as chair of the Section
Features
It all adds up
Despite the sombre headlines of financial woe we were faced with last year, 2013 saw the UK economy grow and the professional services sector perform strongly. Can they both be right? Barry Wilkinson looks at what exactly is going on
Better safe…
The Solicitors Regulation Authority’s focus on financial stability is part of a wider change to the regulatory environment, and what compliance means in practice. George Bull explains how to assess your firm against the regulator’s risk indicators
Life partners
Andrew Allen discusses the impact on law firms of the partnership changes announced in the autumn statement, including to the self-employment status of LLP members, and to the operation of ‘mixed partnerships’
Cash in hand
Cashflow is the lifeblood of any business, and a lack thereof can be a key reason for financial instability. Behind good cashflow are effective cash management policies and a culture set up to deliver them. Barry Wilkinson and Robert Banner explain how to show your firm the money
Back to Basics: Exit strategies
Mergers, acquisitions and law firm closures are at unprecedented levels, given the strategic changes that have taken and continue to take place in the legal industry. So, what steps should you take if you’re considering winding up your law firm?
Running Wild
Geoff Wild on Kent County Council’s innovative model, offering legal services to other public bodies
Multi-tasking?
Ian Muirhead asks why multi-disciplinary practices have been less popular than they were seemingly envisaged to be by the Legal Services Act, and presents a personal view on the role of joint ventures between solicitors and independent financial advisers
Crossing the void
Your law firm could reap rewards in everything from staff motivation to client satisfaction by implementing cross-selling initiatives. Sue Bramall outlines the five key building blocks to get started
New obligations
By 2018, all UK firms will be required to enrol all eligible employees into a qualifying pension scheme. Georgina Beechinor looks at how these changes and developments will affect law firms, and what you should be doing now to prepare
Careless talk
Social media is now a key communications and marketing channel for most law firms, but not all of them anticipate or seek to mitigate the major risks it could pose to their business. Ray O’Connor explains