Compliance & Regulation
Bar Council chair ratchets up rhetoric over eco-barristers
The public argument over the cab-rank rule looks set to rumble on after the Bar Council chair ratcheted up his criticism of barristers refusing to act against eco-causes.
Lawyers’ eco-declaration sparks cab-rank rule row
A row about the cab-rank rule blew up today after barristers who have committed not to prosecute climate protestors or work for fossil fuel companies self-reported themselves to the BSB.
SRA in-house lawyer review fails to recognise “severity of risks”
The Solicitors Regulation Authority does not appear to recognise the “severity of the risks” facing in-house lawyers indicated by its own research, a group of senior practitioners has warned.
LeO wins approval for 9.6% increase in budget to £16.8m
An “inflationary” 9.6% increase in the Legal Ombudsman’s budget for 2023-24, to £16.8m, has been approved by the Legal Services Board.
Solicitor-turned-barrister rebuked for offensive email
A solicitor-turned-barrister has been rebuked by the Solicitors Regulation Authority for sending an offensive email that wished harm or even death on its recipients.
Reserved activities set to stay as they are for now
A full review of the reserved legal activities is not justified at the moment without a “fundamental” reappraisal of the Legal Services Act too, the Legal Services Board has concluded.
Conveyancers fined £33,000 for complaints and accounts breaches
A large firm of licensed conveyancers and its senior partners have been reprimanded and fined £33,000 after a Covid-related work surge overwhelmed its ability to handle complaints.
Barrister pleads guilty to obtaining drugs from criminal clients
A barrister infamous for his conviction for possession of drugs that led to the death of his boyfriend has now pleaded guilty to obtaining drugs from clients he was representing.
Trainee jailed for using client damages to fund gambling addiction
A trainee solicitor who stole more than £100,000 of client compensation to fund a gambling habit – severely damaging the law firm he worked for – has been jailed for two years.
CA: Barrister’s conduct of own litigation “not a private matter”
A High Court judge was right to hold that a barrister’s conduct of litigation in her own right was not a private matter beyond the Bar Standards Board’s reach, the Court of Appeal has ruled.
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.
