Compliance & Regulation
Number of pupil barristers rebounds after Covid-related slump
The number of pupil barristers has rebounded after the pandemic sent it crashing, while women increasingly dominate the junior end of the Bar, new figures have shown.
US should “prod” UK into action over oligarch enablers like lawyers
The US and its allies should take “significant steps to crack down on the Western enablers of Russian kleptocracy” such as law firms, an influential American think tank has argued.
BSB considers regulating intermediaries after Absolute Barrister collapse
The Bar Standards Board is considering whether intermediaries to direct access barristers should come within its regulatory control following the demise of Absolute Barrister.
Immigration solicitor certified LPA without checking client’s capacity
An immigration solicitor certified a lasting power of attorney for a walk-in client without checking his capacity, allowing the man’s son and attorney to misuse some of his money.
Bid to improve consistency of sanctions for sexual and racial misconduct
The Legal Services Board is aiming to reduce inconsistencies in the sanctions imposed across the legal profession in cases such as sexual misconduct, racial harassment and bullying.
Barrister suspended for lewd comments to mini-pupil fails in appeal
The High Court has rejected an appeal from a criminal law barrister suspended for six months by a Bar disciplinary tribunal for lewd comments to a female mini-pupil.
Accountancy body refused permission to exit probate regulation
The Legal Services Board has refused to ‘de-designate’ an accountancy body as a probate regulator over concerns that its members are now practising unregulated.
Solicitor “failed to notice” client’s judicial review had been struck out
A solicitor who admitted “not having noticed” that his client’s judicial review had been struck out and not working on the case for almost two years has been fined £12,500.
Race disparity remains as first SQE results are unveiled
The results for the first ever Solicitors Qualifying Examination assessment showed that, as with the legal practice course, race is a major factor in success. Some 53% passed in all.
High-profile City litigator fails in appeal against strike-off
A former high-profile City litigator has failed in his appeal against being struck off for using a client’s divorce settlement to fund his ventures to pursue digital dispute resolution.
Blog
Automated justice: striking the balance in injury claims
No professional sector is immune from automation – even the law. However, the adoption of automated systems to settle routine injury claims raises a number of important ethical questions.
Conveyancers: are you afraid of outsourcing?
For many years, outsourcing has been seen as a bit of a scary prospect within the conveyancing sector. But thanks to the stamp duty holiday, conveyancers are now realising some of the many benefits.
You win some, you lose some – class actions post Google
In November, Google received two court rulings, through which it both closed and opened the door to class actions against it. So what do the decisions mean for future class actions?
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