Blurring the edges

Are solicitors and barristers creeping towards fusion? A generation ago, such an outlandish idea would have elicited general derision.

But the Courts and Legal Services Act 1990 and the Access to Justice Act 1999 are proving to be potent pieces of legislation.

The first opened the gates for solicitors to qualify as higher court advocates; the second ironed out some practical difficulties faced by solicitors in gaining that qualification and removed some inequalities for employed barristers, allowing them to retain their higher court rights of audience.

Gradually, the fruits of these reforming laws are being borne.

We report this week on another by-product - employed barristers can now qualify to conduct litigation.

One London specialist media practice is beginning to look like the shape of the law firm of the future.

It is headed by a former barrister who is now a prominent high court solicitor-advocate.

It employs both solicitors and barristers, most of whom have high court advocacy rights, and one of the latter has just been authorised to conduct litigation.

From the client's perspective, the practitioners are neither solicitors nor barristers, but all-purpose lawyers.

The shape of legal practice has changed considerably in the 12 years since the then Lord Chancellor, Lord Mackay, brought forward his radical 1990 legislation.

How much longer before 'all-purpose lawyers' become the norm?