Compliance & Regulation
High Court criticises Bar Standards Board for “unjust” decisions
The High Court has ruled that the Bar Standards Board made “unjust and unsustainable” decisions in refusing a Bar student’s application for an exemption from the vocational element of his training.
Firms “overlooking compliance implications” of homeworking
Most law firms are planning to formalise hybrid working arrangements for staff but a significant number have yet to deal with all the compliance implications, research has found.
We need more judges with CILEX backgrounds, says Buckland
The Lord Chancellor yesterday described CILEX lawyers as some of the most impressive lawyers he has seen and said the country needed more judges from their ranks.
Regulators target inconsistencies in approach to bullying and harassment
Work has begun to create a consistent approach across all the legal regulators to sexual misconduct, racial harassment, bullying and other forms of “anti-inclusive misconduct”.
Solicitor struck off for “reckless” prison legal aid claims
The joint head of a law firm’s prison law department has agreed to be struck off after making legal aid claims for prison visits which never took place.
CA grants innocent partners limitation defence in huge law firm fraud
Two innocent partners of a solicitor jailed for a multi-million-pound theft from their firm’s client account can rely on a limitation defence after being sued for the losses caused, the Court of Appeal has ruled.
Solicitor who forged loan documents is struck off
A solicitor who forged documents for a £30,000 loan, secured against his matrimonial home during an “acrimonious” divorce, has been struck off, even though the events did not relate to his practice.
Stronger rules on ongoing competence move step closer
The current regulatory approach to lawyers’ ongoing competence needs to change, the Legal Services Board has concluded, with assessments such as spot checks likely to be part of the reform.
Solicitor fined for signing divorce client up to unlawful DBA
A solicitor who entered into a damages-based agreement with a family law client and pursued her for costs under it has been fined £10,000 by the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal.
Only 10% of new BPTC graduates found pupillage due to Covid
Only 10% of students who successfully completed the Bar professional training course last year had started a pupillage by the end of March 2021, according to new figures.
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.
