Compliance & Regulation
Former CPS solicitor rebuked for offensive Facebook posts
A solicitor who shared a petition from far-right group Britain First on her Facebook page while working for the Crown Prosecution Service has been rebuked by the SRA.
Partner duped by bogus solicitor and clients into paying away sale proceeds
A law firm owner whose “wholly inadequate” compliance systems led to him being duped by two bogus clients and by a bogus solicitor has been struck off.
Solicitors suspended for role in quick-sale property scheme
Two solicitors who breached the trust of vulnerable clients in need of cash by acting in a dodgy quick home sale scheme have been suspended from practice.
BSB mulls scrapping ineffective student aptitude test
The Bar Standards Board is considering whether to scrap the Bar course aptitude test after an analysis showed that fewer than 1% of students have failed it.
Solicitor who “considered herself to be the client” is struck off
A solicitor “considered herself to be the client” while operating under a lasting power of attorney, sending bills to herself and massively overcharging the elderly client involved.
Solicitor who stole £275,000 from client’s estate struck off
A solicitor who abused his position as the executor of an estate and stole £275,000 from it to spend on an “excessive lifestyle” has been struck off by the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal.
Barrister fined for tweet that “could promote hostility towards Muslims”
A barrister at the centre of a storm of outrage over tweets he published earlier this year has been fined and warned over one tweet that was offensive and “could promote hostility towards Muslims”.
Solicitor avoids strike-off for disabled badge dishonesty
A solicitor has been suspended for six months after being convicted of using a disabled parking badge with intent to deceive shortly after she qualified.
Finance director used client funds to pay VAT and salaries
The former finance director of a law firm has been banned from the law after using “residual client monies” kept in a separate deposit account to pay the firm’s VAT and staff salaries.
LSB delays decision on new breed of accountant probate providers
The Legal Services Board has given itself more time to decide on whether to approve a new breed of law firm created by CILEx Regulation and the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants.
Blog
Reorientation in the AI era must begin with the client
Much of the discussion about AI in the legal industry focuses on technology: which tools to adopt and which tasks might get automated. But this misses the deeper story.
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.
