Compliance & Regulation
No sanction for solicitor who threatened firm over complaint
The SDT has decided not to sanction a solicitor who threatened his former law firm with blowing the whistle on alleged legal aid contract breaches if it did not withdraw a complaint about him.
Research highlights ethnic minority attainment gap on Bar course
The attainment gap between ethnic minority and White students in the centrally assessed modules of the Bar professional training course had a higher impact on pass rates.
Consumers increasingly shopping around for lawyers, panel finds
Regulatory initiatives to encourage consumers to shop around, such as making it easier for them to compare prices, are starting to pay off, according to the Legal Services Consumer Panel.
Fine for partner who failed to detail work on client files
A partner who billed for her time ‘considering’ matters but did not detail in attendance notes what she had actually done has been fined by the Solicitors Regulation Authority.
BSB board members call for “radical thinking” on backlog
“Radical thinking” is needed by the Bar Standards Board to get a grip on the growing backlog of investigations and poor performance on timeliness, board members have said.
CLC warns on shutdowns after conveyancer abandons 15,000 files
The Council for Licensed Conveyancers has warned firms about the importance of proper file storage and data retention, after a licensed conveyancer abandoned 15,000 archived files.
Bar Council and Law Society unhappy with LSB’s oversight reforms
The Bar Council and Law Society have attacked proposed Legal Services Board changes to way it assesses frontline regulators’ performance.
Solicitor jailed in Germany for role in VAT carousel fraud struck off
A solicitor convicted in Germany of seven counts of aiding and abetting tax evasion as part of a VAT carousel fraud has been struck off by the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal.
BSB to probe if solicitors give clients choice when instructing barristers
The Bar Standards Board is to gather evidence from solicitors on how they choose a barrister, including whether they offer their clients a choice – or even take account of a client’s views.
Solicitor judge misappropriated £288,000 from law firms
A head of commercial property and deputy district judge has been struck off for taking over £288,000 from two Essex law firms and their clients over a period of 16 years.
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.
