Compliance & Regulation
City solicitor avoids jail after criminal contempt finding
A senior City partner who told a client to “burn” a private messaging app after it was served with a search order has avoided jail for criminal contempt of court, in part because of the impact on his career.
Pass rates – and racial disparities – steady in second sitting of SQE1
The results for the second sitting of SQE1 – part of the Solicitors Qualifying Examination – show the exact same pass rate as the first, and the continuing racial disparity.
SRA allows struck-off solicitor to join firm after opposing return to roll
The Solicitors Regulation Authority has allowed a struck-off solicitor to work for a law firm, having successfully opposed his bid to return to the roll earlier this year.
Solicitor had cannabis at courthouse to help with Covid anxiety
A solicitor caught with cannabis in a court building, which he said he had to calm his anxiety after the start of lockdown in 2020, has been censured for his misconduct.
Ex-solicitor labelled “disgrace to profession” refused return to practice
A former solicitor, labelled a “dishonest crook, swindler and cheat” by a Crown Court judge 14 years ago after being convicted of assisting illegal immigration, will not be returning to practice.
UK law firms banned from handling transactional work for Russians
UK law firms will be unable to provide “transactional legal advisory services” to Russians after the government ratcheted up the sanctions regime yet further.
Panicked solicitor under-settled claim and misled client
A solicitor panicked after realising she had missed a court deadline and under-settled her client’s personal injury claim before leading them on for more than four years about its progress.
BSB pushes back deadlines for clearing work backlogs
The Bar Standards Board has pushed back the deadlines set for clearing backlogs in its handling of misconduct reports and authorisations.
Lawyers “cannot hide from responsibility” for client actions
Lawyers are not “neutral technicians” and “cannot hide from responsibility for what clients do with the legal advice they provide”, a leading legal academic has warned.
US ABS reform is “spurring innovation”
The introduction of alternative business structures in two US states is “spurring innovation”, the first research into the initiatives has found – but how reform is introduced matters.
Blog
The SRA needs to admit it got it wrong about SLAPPs
The High Court judgment in Ashley Hurst v SRA in January raises serious questions about the regulator’s approach to allegations of SLAPP-like behaviour.
Why menopause support belongs on every law firm’s agenda
Progression in the law slows significantly as women approach senior leadership. Most will be at the height of their careers around the average age menopause symptoms begin.
Law firms need to go beyond document checks
At the root of every failed compliance review is a familiar phrase: a calm assertion of “but we did a document check”.
