Comment
Staking a claim
The legal regulators are predicting major change for the profession in 2015 in response to market and client pressures. Ian Muirhead presents an overview of potential competitive threats from the financial services
New year, new challenges
Section chair Robert Banner looks at the changes in the market, and the plans for the Section, in the year ahead
Features
Your heart’s content
Gone are the days when the extent of a law firm’s content was contributions to academic journals and books. Good quality articles and multimedia content are now an essential business development tool. Sue Bramall explains
Software and tear
Major IT change projects are notoriously prone to failure, leaving a business out of pocket and without the changes it needed to compete effectively. Richard Kerr presents a six-step process to avoid some of the common pitfalls
Helping hand
Some firms may think they are too small to outsource their back-office or administrative functions, but they may be missing out on some real business benefits. Harry Capewell and Neil Sharples explain how to avoid the pitfalls and make it work for you
The shape of things
Law firm partnership structures have been under scrutiny in recent years, with some predicting their death knell. Aster Crawshaw looks at their role now, and how to choose between structural options to ensure the best result for your business
Easy does it
Business development is a challenge for all law firms, but perhaps especially for the smaller firm. But, David Yeoward insists, it is not rocket science; just five simple steps will ensure you get it right for your business and your clients
Listen up
In the second of an occasional series on the business benefits of effective compliance, Tracey Calvert looks at how good complaints-handling can help you make continuous improvements to your business, and how you can achieve this in practice
In the know
Hélène Russell presents a beginner’s guide to knowledge management in law firms – what it is, how it can benefit your business, and how to get it right for your firm
Hope springs
The Law Management Section’s 2015 Financial Benchmarking Survey has just been published, and for the first time in many years, the results all suggest positive change in the market. Andy Harris from Hazlewoods introduces the results of the survey
Is less more?
The buoyant mood in the legal sector masks a new potential risk for firms: overtrading. Barry Wilkinson explains what it is, why it happens, and why it could spell real problems for law firms in 2015
Train of thought
In the second of her series on legal education, training and development, Nicola Jones looks at how new routes to legal qualification are opening up opportunities for both firms and aspiring lawyers
Under cover
After a year when much-heralded proposals to reform the professional indemnity insurance market flared briefly before being snuffed out, will 2015 see any significant changes in the renewal process? Grania Langdon-Down reports