Compliance & Regulation
Second time unlucky as sham marriage solicitor is struck off again
A solicitor recorded by an undercover TV reporter giving advice on what he knew was a sham marriage has been struck off for the second time by the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal.
Law firm principal reported by solicitor for improper transfers
A law firm owner whose practice of making improper transfers from client to office account was reported to the regulator “with a heavy heart” by a member of staff.
SQE decision delayed as legal academics urge rejection
The decision on whether to approve the Solicitors Qualifying Examination has been delayed amid a call from groups representing more than 4,000 legal academics to reject it.
Jailed solicitor struck off for historic child abuse convictions
A veteran solicitor serving nearly nine years in prison after being convicted of multiple counts of historic indecent assault against children has been struck off.
£60k fine and JR ban for immigration solicitor
An immigration solicitor who brought meritless judicial reviews has been fined £60,000 and banned for an indefinite period from making further applications.
Law Society’s “sympathy” with indemnity insurers’ frustrations
The Law Society has expressed sympathy with professional indemnity insurers over their call for the right to cancel policies when solicitors do not pay the premium or excess.
Council shuts down law firm’s offices for “flouting” Covid-19 rules
A law firm linked with 18 cases of Covid-19 was ordered to shut its office with immediate effect last week after being accused of showing “disregard” for the health of its staff.
Government eyes regulating the law’s unregulated providers
The Ministry of Justice is considering whether to create a register of unregulated providers of legal services and give their clients access to redress if things go wrong, it emerged yesterday.
Solicitor who raided client’s estate to pay debts is struck off
A solicitor who used £100,000 from a client’s estate to pay debts to HM Revenue & Customs and an indemnity insurer before closing his firm has been struck off.
PI solicitor “compromised independence” in dealings with CMC
A personal injury solicitor has been sanctioned for allowing the claims management company that supplied almost all of his work to dictate the terms of clients’ engagement with his firm.
Blog
The questions that determine if the SRA’s client money reforms will work
Both reforms respond to real and well-evidenced gaps in the current framework. The SRA’s changes after consultation feedback shows it’s listening. But structural change on paper is only half the job.
The new metrics for success in conveyancing
While technology has made much of the conveyancing process faster, there remains a practical limit to how many matters anyone can manage while still keeping standards intact.
The UK legal market is polarising – and the middle is disappearing
Consolidation and the boutique boom are not contradictory. They are the same market stretching apart at both ends – and it changes what your firm is worth, and to whom.
Reports
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