Compliance & Regulation
Collapsed SSB “faces up to 1,400 negligence claims”
Consumer claims firm SSB Law, which went into administration earlier this month owing six litigation funders £200m, faces up to 1,400 professional negligence claims, it has emerged.
Nothing “inherently improper” about barristers using generative AI
There is nothing “inherently improper” about barristers using tools based on generative AI, so long as they are “properly understood” and “used responsibly”, the Bar Council has said.
Solicitor who ‘retained’ but never instructed counsel is struck off
A solicitor who dishonestly misled his client, his client’s son and the other side about the progress of litigation he was conducting has been struck off.
SRA writes to over 1,000 firms about poor sanctions compliance
The Solicitors Regulation Authority has written to give guidance to more than 1,000 law firms that admit they do not have basic controls in place to mitigate sanctions risk.
Solicitor who misled firm about client loans and referrals struck off
A solicitor who actively concealed from his employer the fact that he had taken loans from clients and received referral fees from a short-term lender has been struck off.
Women now make up 40% of Bar as diversity trends continue
Long-term trends of improving diversity at the Bar continued last year, with women now making up just over 40% of barristers, Bar Standards Board figures have shown.
‘Conflict of interest’ solicitor threatened client with libel action
A solicitor has been fined for acting for clients in a property dispute knowing they had a possible negligence claim against the firm for causing the litigation in the first place.
Three arrested in raid on “bogus” immigration law firm
Three suspected fraudulent immigration lawyers have been arrested in Greater Manchester following a Home Office raid on Wednesday.
Legal Ombudsman forced to revise backlog figure upwards – again
The queue of cases awaiting investigation at the Legal Ombudsman is not falling as fast as had been expected, with the March 2024 target having been revised upwards for a third time.
BSB keeps its powder dry over Post Office barristers
The Bar Standards Board has yet to see evidence from the Post Office inquiry that requires it to take urgent action against any barrister, it has told Legal Futures.
Blog
Accountability has to live within governance, not with one person
The assumption has long been that a COLP or COFA is personally exposed to the consequences of anti-money laundering breaches.
The SRA’s client money reforms: good intentions, questionable execution
On the face of it, the SRA’s plans to tighten protections around client money sounds sensible. The detail, as ever, tells a more complicated story.
Recruitment, retention and reward in the legal accounts world
Understanding the legal finance market is important – not just for those actively involved in it day-to-day but also for leaders within law firms.
