The proposed reform of the legal profession has taken another step forward following publication of the latest draft of the Legal Services Bill at the end of November 2006. We give a brief overview of the Bill, highlighting its more controversial aspects. Almost two years after the publication of Sir David Clementi’s Report in December 2004, the Government published the Legal Services Bill on 24 November 2006 ("the Bill"). Despite much criticism of the first draft of the Bill which was published in May 2006 ("the draft Bill"), most notably by the Joint Parliamentary Committee appointed to scrutinise it, the Bill contains little change of any substance.
The reforms
The Bill establishes a new framework for the regulation of legal services in England andWales. This seeks to address the three main areas in which Sir David recommended reform: regulation; the complaints system; and the restrictive nature of current business structures.
