Inksters joins ABS lobby group

Scottish legal firm Inksters has joined a cross-jurisdictional body representing alternative business structures (ABSs) and other new-style legal practices – though Scotland still awaits the intoduction of its legislation permitting ABSs.

The ABS & NewLaw Advisory Council has been formed by the Managing Partners Forum (MPF). Chaired by Jenny Beck, head of professional practice at Co-operative Legal Services, it mainly consists of English lawyers but also includes a Finnish representative. Its primary remit is to represent ABS and multi-disciplinary practice firms to government, as a way for the collective views of ABS firms to complement existing consultations through the Solicitors Regulation Authority and other channels.

Its definition of "NewLaw" firms extends to “Any model, process, or tool that represents a significantly different approach to the creation or provision of legal services than the legal profession has traditionally employed.”

Brian Inkster, founder of Inksters, commented: “Inksters does not follow the traditional law firm model and is very much a ‘NewLaw’ firm. ABSs may not have arrived in Scotland yet but they are coming. At Inksters we like to be ahead of the game, and being a founding member of the ABS & NewLaw Advisory Council puts us in that position. I am excited about working with the diverse range of innovative law firms that make up the council.”

Richard Chaplin, the founder and executive chairman of the MPF, said: “MPF has represented professional firm management to government for many years. We welcome the opportunity to represent the collective views of ABS and NewLaw firms based on the findings of regular member surveys, shaped by insights from the market leaders on the advisory council.”