Compliance & Regulation
Law firm was akin to “slow-motion car crash”, tribunal finds
A law firm owner’s failures turned his practice into a “complete shambles” which was “akin to a slow-motion car crash occurring over a number of years”, the SDT has found.
Post Office scandal inquiry urged to put more focus on the lawyers
The inquiry into the Post Office Horizon scandal has been urged to put more focus on the role of lawyers in perpetuating the organisation’s intransigence over the IT system’s problems.
Barrister apprenticeships a “viable option”, specialist argues
Apprenticeships are a “viable option” to qualification as a barrister, but they would need collaboration between the Bar Standards Board, education providers and the Bar, a new paper has argued.
Leading firm rebuked for letting £21m pass through client account
A leading south-coast law firm that allowed its client account to be used as a banking facility, with £21m passing through it, has been rebuked.
CLC presses ahead with ‘polluter pays’ rule for ombudsman costs
The Council for Licensed Conveyancers is pressing ahead with its plan to introduce a ‘polluter pays’ element to how it recovers the cost of the Legal Ombudsman from those it regulates.
Solicitor threatened law firm in bid to have it withdraw complaint
A solicitor threatened his former law firm with blowing the whistle on alleged breaches of its legal aid contract in a bid to have it withdraw a complaint about him, it has emerged.
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.
Blog
Containing the spread of unapproved AI
Nearly 60% of fee-earners admit to using unapproved tools (like free versions of ChatGPT). Yet 68% of firm leaders are confident there is zero risk of unapproved AI being used for client work.
When AI adoption goes wrong, costs add up fast
City AM recently reported that London is fighting to claim the title of ‘global capital of legal AI’. However, it’s crucial we remember that adoption alone does not create value.
Gen Z lawyers vs identity, sacrifice and success
This conversation began with my training principal, who admitted something many senior lawyers quietly feel: “I struggle to understand what motivates Gen Z lawyers.”
