Compliance & Regulation
White law students “twice as likely to be sponsored” by employers
White students are almost twice as likely to be sponsored by a law firm through law school than Asian and Black students, major new research for the Solicitors Regulation Authority has found.
Barrister reprimanded for drugs convictions
A barrister has been reprimanded by a Bar disciplinary tribunal, after being convicted in Malawi of attempting to export hemp to the UK.
Solicitor used LPA to steal cash from vulnerable client
A solicitor who stole cash from a vulnerable client using her debit card while acting under a lasting power of attorney has been struck off.
Solicitor persuaded vulnerable client to send him explicit photos
A solicitor who misled a vulnerable family law client into sending explicit photographs of herself to his personal mobile phone has been struck off.
Number of complaints to law firms up 20% in five years
The number of complaints received by law firms went up by about a fifth between 2019 and 2023, the SRA has found – but averages out only at four per practice.
SRA falling short on key target for progressing investigations
Efforts by the Solicitors Regulation Authority to speed up investigations are falling short of some of the targets introduced last year, it has emerged.
BSB board and staff at odds over transferring foreign lawyers
Members of the BSB clashed with senior staff last week over how to deal with the large number of foreign lawyers seeking to be called in England and Wales but who do not intend to practise here.
Law firm fined £12,400 for not making good on undertakings
A law firm in Nottingham that failed to perform undertakings it gave on two property transactions – allowing another party to register a charge on one of them – has been fined £12,400.
Profession to pay for firm failures as compensation fund levy soars
The SRA has proposed a 336% hike in compensation fund contributions for law firms in the wake of the spiralling cost of law firm failures.
SRA places controls on head of department who misued blue badge
A senior law firm staff member who used her late mother’s disabled badge to park in a disabled bay close to its offices has been placed under controls imposed by the SRA.
Blog
Why onboarding has become a strategic priority for law firms
One of the most influential stages of the client journey – client onboarding – often receives less strategic attention than it deserves.
Why law firms are getting AI supervision wrong
The profession’s response to AI supervision failures misunderstands the nature of LLM output – there needs to be for a shift in the culture.
Beyond the PII premium – rethinking risk
Professional indemnity insurance renewal is often treated as an annual pricing exercise. But it is also a chance to show how effectively you identify, manage and mitigate risk.
Reports
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