Compliance & Regulation
Solicitor attorneys fined £22k for home insurance failure
Two solicitors who failed in their duties as attorneys under a lasting power of attorney have each been fined £11,250 by the Solicitors Regulation Authority.
Chartered legal executives would have “no role” in running SRA
Chartered legal executives would have “no role” in the governance of the SRA and the way regulation is carried out if they were “subsumed” into the regulator, CILEx Regulation has argued.
Surge of lawyers from Indian sub-continent seeking call to English Bar
The Bar Standards Board has reported a surge of lawyers from the Indian sub-continent seeking to be called to the Bar in England and Wales – even though many have no intention of practising here.
City lawyer struck off for child sex offences
A solicitor formerly at City giant Herbert Smith Freehills has been struck off after being jailed for child sex offences but his identity has been kept private.
SDT “obviously wrong” to name struck-off solicitor’s former clients
The Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal was “obviously wrong” to name former clients of a struck-off solicitor and failing to uphold legal professional privilege, the High Court has ruled.
Solicitor who made “derogatory” remarks to counterpart fined
A solicitor who made “inappropriate, derogatory, puerile and inflammatory remarks” in emails to another solicitor has been fined £7,500 by the Solicitors Regulation Authority.
Rise in bullying and harassment complaints against barristers
The Bar Standards Board has welcomed an increase in reports of bullying and harassment in the profession, saying the rise indicates growing confidence in how it deals with them.
Bar chief suspended for train chat that breached court order
The former head of the Scottish Bar has been suspended after being filmed on a train naming women who had accused ex-SNP leader Alex Salmond of sexual assault, in breach of a court order.
Law firm fined after building up £105k in residual client balances
A North London law firm that allowed £105,000 of residual client balances to build up over 13 years has been fined £14,000 by the Solicitors Regulation Authority.
SDT clears City lawyer in Zoom “espionage” case
A senior City lawyer accused of misconduct which the public would view as “perhaps even tantamount to espionage” has been cleared by the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal.
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.
