Compliance & Regulation
Firm “needed court action” to force departing partner to return files
A law firm had to begin legal action to force a partner who had decided to leave to return the files she took home to work on during lockdown, it has emerged.
Top judge slates firm over trial live-stream breach
The president of the Queen’s Bench Division has strongly criticised lawyers at US firm McDermott Will & Emery after they allowed a trial to be live-streamed to observers without the court’s permission.
Partner fired for ‘topping up’ fees overturns tribunal ruling
The Employment Appeal Tribunal has overturned a ruling that a law firm was entitled to fire a partner who was accused of ‘topping up’ legal aid fees with cash from a client’s father.
Legal executive banned for forging client’s signature
A highly experienced chartered legal executive who forged her client’s signature after forgetting to ask the client to sign a consent order has been banned from working for law firms.
Law Society announces another multi-million pound deficit
The Law Society recorded an operating loss of £5.5m on its representative work for solicitors in the last financial year, its annual report has shown. It was part of an overall deficit of £9.3m.
SRA imposes ban on trainee solicitor jailed for rape
A one-time trainee solicitor who violently raped one woman and attempted to rape another has been banned from the profession. His sentence was increased to 16 years in May.
Charities sue over senior partner’s theft from estates
Multiple charities – including the Church of England – that claim they lost out after a senior partner stole millions from clients’ estates are suing her, her former partner, the firm and its insurer.
PI lawyer used disbursement cash to prop up firm
The owner of a personal injury firm has been struck off after retaining nearly £500,000 in disbursements to keep his firm afloat after it was badly hit by the LASPO reforms.
Leading firm rebuked over client account misuse
Leading law firm Womble Bond Dickinson has been rebuked for providing a banking facility to a client by receiving and paying out more than £2m that did not relate to any legal work it was doing.
Unregulated firms should have access to regulatory sandboxes
Legal regulators should allow unregulated firms to test their ideas in regulatory sandboxes set up to foster innovation, the Legal Services Consumer Panel has said.
Blog
Is your Google Ads budget funding your competitors’ AI visibility?
If your cost-per-click has crept up again this year, you’ve probably assumed the market simply got more expensive. That’s the wrong way to read what’s happening.
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.
