Compliance & Regulation
The SIF lives on – SRA gives fund yet another stay of execution
The Solicitors Indemnity Fund – which was first due to close in 2017 – has been given another stay of execution and will now go on to September 2023, a year later than the SRA had planned.
SDT fines veteran solicitor for multiple accounts rules breaches
A veteran solicitor whose carelessness and ignorance of the accounts rules led to multiple breaches has been fined by the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal.
SRA decides against retrial of junior solicitor who left case on train
The Solicitors Regulation Authority has ended proceedings against the junior solicitor initially struck off after she left confidential documents on a train.
Barrister’s treatment of more junior opponent “verged on bullying”
The behaviour of the barrister who called her more junior opponent a liar before an employment tribunal and mimicked her voice verged on bullying, a disciplinary panel has decided.
Law Society looks to boost income by £8.4m through PC fee rises
The Law Society is planning to increase the cost of practising to boost its income by £8.4m over the next three years as it bids to make itself “indispensable” to members.
House of Lords ratchets up pressure on SRA over SLAPPs
Peers have asked the Solicitors Regulation Authority whether it plans to reopen complaints about law firms involved in strategic lawsuits against public participation.
Fund pays out £27m to victims of dishonest solicitors
The SRA Compensation Fund paid out £27m to the victims of solicitors’ dishonesty in its last financial year, an increase of 162% on the previous 12 months.
Solicitor offered to settle client’s complaint if they did not report firm
A solicitor who twice tried to settle a client’s complaints on condition that they not report his firm to any regulatory body has been rebuked by the SRA, one of several sanctions it has handed out.
Number of SRA investigations lasting more than a year hits 1,000
The SRA has set out plans to reverse the increase in the time it takes to investigate complaints, after the number of cases open for more than 12 months topped 1,000 last year.
Regulator probes law firms accused in Parliament over oligarch work
The Solicitors Regulation Authority has started visiting law firms named in Parliament amid concerns about their work for Russian oligarchs, it has emerged.
Blog
Business fatigue to AI will risk job security
Whilst we know professional learning has always been part of career paths, to hire, retain and keep talent, AI needs to be embedded as a core part of this training.
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.
