Compliance & Regulation
Dishonest paralegal, drink driving, AML failure – SRA hands out penalties
A paralegal who used case files he had not worked on as part of his application to be an accredited police station representative has been banned, among the latest sanctions handed out by the SRA.
Law firms under “active investigation” for flouting sanctions regime
A small number of law firms are being investigated for either actively or negligently breaching sanctions imposed following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, it emerged yesterday.
SRA on lookout for solicitors “borrowing” from client money to pay bills
The Solicitors Regulation Authority is braced for solicitors looking to borrow from client account to help pay their bills in the face of a worsening economy, its chief executive said yesterday.
LSB promises regulators “greater autonomy” in performance regime
The Legal Services Board has promised the frontline legal regulators “greater autonomy” in its the framework it will use to assess regulators’ progress.
Lawyers should “actively advise” clients on their environmental impact
Lawyer are not merely “servants of their clients” and should counsel their clients about environmental harms their instructions may lead to, a leading legal academic has argued.
Supreme Court will not hear appeal on professional tribunal members’ pay
The Supreme Court has refused permission to appeal a ruling that a barrister who sat as a tribunal chair for the Nursing and Midwifery Council was a ‘worker’ and entitled to sickness and holiday pay.
SDT lifts restriction on solicitor holding management position in firms
The SDT has lifted part of the conditions imposed on a solicitor suspended for a year a decade ago for multiple rule breaches, allowing him to return to law firm management.
SRA rows back on requiring junior staff to challenge bad behaviour at work
Law firm managers, but not junior staff, are set to have a regulatory obligation to challenge colleagues who treat others unfairly or without respect, the Solicitors Regulation Authority has said.
LeO seeks 9.6% budget rise equivalent to £7.20 per solicitor
The Legal Ombudsman is seeking an “inflationary” 9.6% increase in its budget for 2023-24 to £16.8m as it aims to “drastically reduce” the complaints backlog.
Philip: SRA will make full use of unlimited fining power for economic crime
The Solicitors Regulation Authority will make full use of the proposed new power to issue unlimited fines against solicitors and firms caught up in economic crime, its chief executive has warned.
Blog
Amplifying reach through employee-driven thought leadership
Nine in 10 executives believe thought leadership is critical to building authority, yet only a quarter feel they have implemented a robust strategy.
Divorce escrow: asset sales before final settlement
When significant matrimonial assets are sold before a final financial order is agreed, holding the proceeds safely and neutrally can present real practical challenges.
AML lacks clarity – and standards are suffering
If firms are buckling under the pressure of AML regulations, subject to ever-increasing fines, then something is clearly not working as it should be.
