Compliance & Regulation
Commercial lawyer fined for providing banking facility to client
A solicitor at a commercial law firm in Cardiff has been fined £24,000 for recklessly providing a banking facility for a client over a period of almost two years.
Partner struck off for telling “outrageous” lies to SRA
A tribunal has condemned a partner’s “outrageous” lies to the Solicitors Regulation Authority, made in a bid to frustrate its investigation into her firm.
Less than half of barristers happy with their working lives
Only 47% of barristers feel generally content with their working lives, a report for the Bar Council has found, while just 45% felt they could “cope with the competing demands” of their job.
Law firm subject to UK’s biggest ever proceeds of crime forfeiture
A law firm is at the heart of the largest ever proceeds of crime forfeiture in the UK after an investigation spanning three continents.
Incompetent conveyancer’s conduct “a warning to the profession”
The case of a solicitor who was manifestly incompetent in handling a conveyancing transaction is “a warning to the profession” of stepping beyond their expertise, a tribunal has said.
Legal Ombudsman admits recovery will take longer than expected
Performance at the Legal Ombudsman will get worse before it gets better as the complaints-handler has admitted recovery will take longer than it anticipated.
Major report: Time for targets, not talk, to improve race equality at Bar
The time for talking about race inequality at the Bar is over and all organisations with a stake in the profession should set specific targets for improvement, a major Bar Council report has concluded.
Carr: Improving diversity of SDT panels a priority
Improving the diversity of those who sit in the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal is “front and centre” of a major recruitment drive, according to the Court of Appeal judge overseeing the process.
Conveyancers introduce ‘polluter pays’ for cost of Legal Ombudsman
Licensed conveyancers who generate complaints referred to the Legal Ombudsman will have to shoulder more of its cost than those who do not, after the change won approval.
Solicitor struck off for misleading client about settlement
A solicitor has been struck off after telling a client that her case was ongoing when it had actually settled and using some of the money to pay other clients damages they were not entitled to.
Blog
It’s time for law firms to ask tougher questions
For years, many law firms have treated ID verification as a box-ticking exercise. Run a liveness check, match a face to a document and move on. But that is no longer good enough.
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.
