Compliance & Regulation
Solicitor ghosted client and SRA after receiving divorce settlement
A solicitor who failed to pass on to a client the £132,000 due to her from her divorce settlement – money the profession has now had to stump up – has been struck off.
Partner hid conveyancing proceeds in secret bank account
A law firm co-owner who covered up the existence of a bank account he used for the proceeds of a conveyancing transaction – from both his partner and regulator – has been struck off.
Barristers cannot avoid disciplinary action by renouncing status
Barristers cannot escape disciplinary proceedings by renouncing their membership of the profession, a Bar disciplinary tribunal has ruled.
Warning for fee-share consultants in solicitor’s strike-off
A self-employed consultant has been struck off after asking a client to pay a £750 bill to him directly and keep it secret from the law firm he was attached to.
Legal Services Board “needs to focus more on access to justice”
The Legal Services Board should put a priority on access to justice and the needs of people on low incomes rather than professional ethics in its next research programme,.
Solicitor hid 743 cheques worth £233,000 in filing cabinet
A veteran solicitor who signed but then kept 743 cheques worth £233,000 in a filing cabinet in his office, rather than using them to pay disbursements and other liabilities, has been struck off.
New chair a “dominating issue” for Legal Services Board
The arrival of a new chair of the Legal Services Board, taking up the post in April, is the “dominating issue” in its governance, a report by external consultants has found.
SDT orders client who brought case against City solicitors to pay £291k in costs
The Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal has ordered a former client of City firm Simmons & Simmons to pay costs of £291,000 after throwing out his private prosecution of two of its solicitors.
Strike-off for solicitor whose fake PI claim “shattered public trust”
A solicitor who “shattered” public trust in the profession by making a fake personal injury claim through the law firm where he worked has been struck off.
LeO has 22 ongoing enforcement actions against lawyers
The Legal Ombudsman has 22 live enforcement cases against legal services providers that have failed to comply with its decisions, according to the latest figures.
Blog
On good authority? GenAI and the reputational risks to law firms
As GenAI’s influence grows, so do the risks which are already playing out in courtrooms across England and Wales, where some early adopters are setting precedents they would rather not.
Why this is the year for law firms to embrace generative AI
After more than a year of pilots, proofs of value and early experimentation, firms are increasingly embedding AI into day-to-day workflows.
Client account interest is not spare change
The proposed Interest on Lawyers’ Client Accounts scheme is being framed as a sensible, international, “tried and tested” way for the profession to help fund a justice system under strain.
