Compliance & Regulation
Be careful when ex-clients seek ‘one-off’ advice, CA warns solicitors
Solicitors responding to ‘one-off’ requests for information or advice from former or potential clients need to identify the limits of their engagement to avoid negligence claims, the Court of Appeal has warned.
CILEX begins talks over transferring regulation of members to SRA
The Chartered Institute of Legal Executives has begun formal talks with the Solicitors Regulation Authority about taking over the regulation of its members.
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.
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.
