Compliance & Regulation
LSB to consider “alternative configurations” of reserved legal activities
The Legal Services Board is to undertake a “first-principles analysis” of the list of reserved legal activities to consider “potential alternative configurations”.
LSB plans to make it easier for clients to complain to their lawyers
Stronger rules on how clients are informed about their right to complain, and ensuring verbal expressions of dissatisfaction are treated as complaints, are set to be introduced next year.
SRA forced to wait for end of Post Office inquiry to take action
The Solicitors Regulation Authority is going to have to wait until the end of the Post Office inquiry before it can take formal disciplinary action against any lawyers involved in the scandal.
Consumers keen to read reviews of barristers, says Trustpilot
There are only 15 barristers on Trustpilot but their pages are viewed 4,000 times a day by consumers, showing the opportunity for the Bar, a webinar heard last week.
LSB to urge regulatory action in bid to strengthen professional ethics
A greater focus on professional ethics among law students and qualified lawyers, with stronger supervision by regulators, is needed to uphold the rule of law, the Legal Services Board has said.
Tribunal clears conveyancer over allegations of AML dishonesty
A solicitor accused of not having a firm-wide anti-money laundering risk assessment in place and lying about it to the SRA, has been cleared by the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal.
SRA “risks acting arbitrarily” in sexual misconduct crackdown
The SRA risks acting “unfairly and arbitrarily” if it refers almost all cases relating to sexual misconduct to the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal, a leading regulatory lawyer has warned.
Consumer panel calls for standardised information to help consumers
The Legal Services Consumer Panel has called on regulators to consider how information providers give to consumers can be standardised, with complaints and conveyancing prices particular concerns.
CLC “making greater use of range of enforcement powers”
The Council for Licensed Conveyancers is making greater use of the range of its enforcement powers, rather than going straight to full disciplinary action, its chief executive has said.
Reprimand for barrister convicted of VAT offence
A barrister who “lost control of his finances” during the breakdown of his marriage and was convicted of a VAT offence has been reprimanded by a Bar disciplinary tribunal.
Blog
Awaab’s Law phase 2: New hazards council tenants can now claim for
The conversation on housing disrepair is moving beyond damp and mould alone. With the rollout of phase 2 of Awaab’s Law, the scope of issues covered is expanding significantly,
Beyond PCP: Can regulators and lawyers work better together next time?
Nearly a decade after the Financial Conduct Authority began investigating the car finance industry, the story of the PCP commission scandal is still unfinished.
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.
