LASPO The Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act 2012 introduced wide-ranging changes to the legal aid system and reformed the use of conditional fee agreements. Highly controversial. Law clinic A free legal advice centre, usually staffed by volunteer lawyers and students. Law Commission An independent body set up in 1965 to keep the law of England and Wales under review and to recommend reform where needed. Law Society Official body representing solicitors in England and Wales. Lawyer Umbrella term used to refer to barristers, solicitors and legal executives. LDP Legal disciplinary practices – introduced by the Legal Services Act – allow the eight different types of ‘official’ lawyer, known as authorised persons (ie, solicitor, barrister, legal executive, licensed conveyancer, trademark attorney, patent attorney, notary and costs lawyer), to go into partnership. They also permit firms to have up to 25% of their partnership made up of non-lawyers. Legal aid The provision of assistance, advice or representation to people who are otherwise unable to afford legal representation. Legal apprentice An individual who joins a law firm straight from school, rather than going to university, to work in a role similar to that of a paralegal. Legal executive A qualified legal professional who specialises in a particular area of law and often performs work that’s similar to that of a solicitor. See also ‘CILEX’. Legal Services Act 2007 A law that’s opened up the legal market by allowing lawyers to form new business structures and permitting corporations to move into the legal services market. See also ‘ABS’. Legal Services Board The independent body responsible for overseeing the regulation of lawyers in England and Wales.
LLC A limited liability company is a business structure that’s a hybrid of a partnership and a corporation. LLD Letters written after someone’s name, showing that they have a doctorate in law. LLM Letters written after someone’s name, showing that they have the degree of master of laws. LLP A limited liability partnership (LLP) is essentially a hybrid between a general and limited partnership. An LLP protects partners from personal liability for the negligent acts of the other partners. Lockstep A system by which partners’ pay is decided by time served as partner in predictable sequence. Pay rises in a series of steps (eg, after one, three, five, seven and 10 years). LPC The Legal Practice Course (LPC) is the vocational stage between degree and training contract. This has been replaced with the Solicitors Qualifying Examination. See also ‘SQE’. M&A Mergers and acquisitions. A merger occurs when two or more companies join as one. An acquisition is the takeover of one company by another. Magic circle Term used to refer to the top five UK law firms: Allen & Overy LLP, Clifford Chance, Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer LLP, Linklaters LLP and Slaughter and May. MDP Multi-disciplinary partnership. A combination firm offering the full range of professional services, particularly law and accountancy functions. Mediation A method of ADR in which a neutral third party helps to resolve a dispute. Mini-pupillage Work experience within a set of chambers. Ministry of Justice The body responsible for prisons, judges and courts, and probation.
Moot A mock trial, designed to test advocacy skills.
Negligence A failure to exercise the degree of care that a reasonable person would’ve used in the circumstances. Niche firm/chambers Firm or set that specialises in a certain area of law.
Liability Legal responsibility, duty or obligation.
Libel Defamatory written statements or materials.
LLB Letters written after someone’s name, showing that they have the degree of bachelor of laws.
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