Business as usual for legal services market following election

Posted in Latest News on 8 May 2015

Following last night’s General Election it looks like the Conservative Party will form a government which means business as usual for the legal services market.

The Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice Chris Grayling was re-elected as MP for Epsom and Ewell polling 58% of the vote compared to 56.2% in 2010. In 2009 Chris Grayling received £71,000 from Peter Wood, founder of Direct Line, to run his office and since taking up his post in the Ministry of Justice has locked horns with the legal profession throughout his tenure effecting change in Insurance, Personal Injury, Litigation, Criminal and public funded practice areas. There is little doubt he retains the appetite for further reform.

The All Party Group for Legal and Constitutional Affairs is however missing two members this morning. All the MP’s who sit on the group were re-elected but with Independent MP Jack Straw and Plaid Cymru MP for Meirionnydd stepping down the group – which exists to promote parliamentary understanding of legal and constitutional issues and facilitate greater interaction between Parliament and the different branches of the legal profession – will be looking for a couple of new recruits. The Law Society provides secretariat services to the group and the General Council of the Bar also provides administrative support to the group.

In 2014 the legal services market was valued at nearly £30billion and according to Law Society forecasts is expected to grow 5% in 2015 and 4% in 2016. A string economy will – naturally – help to facilitate this.   

Share this post