Compliance & Regulation
New barrister-run litigation firm chooses SRA regulation
An alternative business structure specialising in commercial litigation and arbitration and led by barristers has opted for regulation by the Solicitors Regulation Authority.
Solicitor jailed for contempt after defying SRA court orders
A high-profile solicitor has been jailed for contempt of court after defying two court orders to hand over her practice’s files to the Solicitors Regulation Authority.
Junior solicitor at SRA’s lawyers struck off for misleading client
A solicitor at Capsticks, the Solicitors Regulation Authority’s external lawyers, has been struck off for lying to a client and the firm about progress on a file.
In-house lawyer struck off after child pornography conviction
A former in-house solicitor at NatWest has been struck off for child pornography convictions after he was found by police with 15,000 indecent images and videos.
CILEX member permanently excluded after fraud convictions
A member of CILEX has been permanently excluded from the institute following her convictions for fraud and providing unqualified immigration advice.
LPC pass rate holds up despite pandemic
The pass rate for legal practice course students was virtually unchanged for the academic year ending in the summer of 2020 despite the pandemic, new figures have shown.
Mishcon de Reya hit with big fine for anti-money laundering failures
Mishcon De Reya – the leading London firm heading for a stock market listing this year – has agreed to pay a fine of £232,500 over multiple breaches of anti-money laundering rules.
Bar Standards Board lacks “capability, capacity and resources”
The Bar Standards Board lacks access to “sufficient capability, capacity and resources”, the Legal Services Board said yesterday in its annual review of all the legal regulators’ performance.
Scottish ABSs to go live with professional majority ownership – for now
The Law Society of Scotland has been authorised to regulate licensed legal services providers, the equivalent of ABSs, more than 10 years after the law allowing for them came into force.
BTAS beefs up sanctions for sexual misconduct further still
The Bar Tribunals & Adjudication Service has gone a step further in toughening up its sanctions guidance for barristers found to have been involved in sexual misconduct and discrimination.
Blog
The SRA needs to admit it got it wrong about SLAPPs
The High Court judgment in Ashley Hurst v SRA in January raises serious questions about the regulator’s approach to allegations of SLAPP-like behaviour.
Why menopause support belongs on every law firm’s agenda
Progression in the law slows significantly as women approach senior leadership. Most will be at the height of their careers around the average age menopause symptoms begin.
Law firms need to go beyond document checks
At the root of every failed compliance review is a familiar phrase: a calm assertion of “but we did a document check”.
