Compliance & Regulation
New protocol for reporting bullying and harassment by judges
A new protocol to help legal professionals raise concerns about bullying, harassment and discrimination by judges has been launched by the senior judiciary.
City solicitor charged with five counts of insider dealing
The Financial Conduct Authority has charged a City solicitor with five counts of insider dealing while working on a listed company’s acquisition.
Most consumers think they should keep interest from client accounts
A majority of clients believe that they should keep interest earned on client accounts, research for the Legal Services Consumer Panel has found.
Legal Ombudsman: Targets missed but getting better
The Legal Ombudsman continued to miss its key timeliness targets over the last year – but by less than the previous 12 months, its annual report has shown.
Barrister disbarred for multiple motoring offences
A barrister convicted of drink driving before the pandemic and twice convicted of driving while disqualified five years later has been disbarred.
Solicitor who closed firm used client money to shop at Morrisons
A solicitor who repeatedly failed to complete a firm closure notification – whilst holding onto his clients’ files, wills and money after his practice shut down – has been suspended.
SRA: “Major shortcomings” in high-volume consumer claim work
The SRA is developing materials to help law firms handling high-volume consumer claims improve how they onboard clients after major research showed significant shortcomings.
SRA outlines further tightening of complaints-handling rules
New rules requiring law firms to give clients a timeline for resolving complaints they have made, and provide regular updates, have been proposed by the SRA.
KC wins appeal against disbarment over Oxford University lie
The High Court has overturned the disbarment of a barrister who lied in an interview and on a CV 13 years ago that he had attended Oxford University.
Solicitor suspended for offensive comments and bottom pinching
A former partner at a City law firm has been suspended for a year after he made antisemitic, racist and sexualised comments to junior colleagues.
Blog
Is clients’ use of AI destroying legal privilege?
Much has been written about the risks of lawyers misusing AI. However, in my view, the greater challenge lies elsewhere: the routine use of AI by clients themselves.
Does the Lloyd review mark the end of the Legal Services Act?
The Legal Services Board often generates eye-rolls and irritation from the leaders of the frontline regulators it oversees and of the representative bodies attached to them.
A familiar story?
There is no doubt that the rising cost of clinical negligence claims deserves attention. However, the system’s true cost driver is often not the claim itself.
