Compliance & Regulation
SRA plans for law firm complaints handling risk “overregulation”
Solicitors Regulation Authority plans for new rules on how law firms handle complaints could lead to “overregulation”, the Law Society has warned.
SRA slaps £114k fine on law firm for AML failings
The Solicitors Regulation Authority has fined a South-East London law firm £114,000 for anti-money laundering failures, one of the largest to date.
New BSB chair favours radical reform of legal regulation
The former chair of CILEX – who has previously called for a radical shift in the way lawyers are regulated – is to take over as chair of the Bar Standards Board in September.
Law Society “not assured” of SRA’s performance post-Axiom Ince
The Law Society has ratcheted up the pressure on the SRA over Axiom Ince by saying it is “not sufficiently assured” that the regulator is doing its job properly.
Government still eyeing client account interest to fund free legal advice
The Ministry of Justice is taking forward work on whether interest on lawyers’ client accounts could be diverted to fund legal services for people unable to afford advice.
Solicitor jailed for role in multi-million-pound investment fraud
An experienced solicitor has been jailed for his part in helping to run two bogus investment schemes – one involving litigation funding – that conned over 150 victims out of £6m.
Law firm that failed to spot it was acting for PEP fined £173k
A law firm that failed to identify that the beneficial owner of its client was a politically exposed person (PEP) has been fined £173,000 by the Solicitors Regulation Authority.
Barristers’ social media activity causes spike in complaints to BSB
Complaints about contentious social media posts by barristers have fuelled a jump of a third in reports to the Bar Standards Board, cases described as “inherently complex”.
Uncertainty over advocates’ immunity could have “chilling effect”
A High Court ruling casting uncertainty over the immunity of advocates for what they say and do in court could have a “chilling effect”, the Bar Council has warned.
Barrister loses appeal against disbarment over immigration work
A barrister disbarred for supervising an immigration firm whose registration had been cancelled by the Immigration Advice Agency has failed in his appeal against the decision.
Blog
The importance of benchmarking reports – and lessons on profitability
Regional firms reported the largest revenue growth this year (12%), outpacing their City counterparts. Yet many are not converting that growth into profitability.
Fixed recoverable costs: Sacrificing justice for predictability?
The extended fixed recoverable costs regime is failing to achieve its stated objectives. Instead of promoting fairness and efficiency, the rules are creating anomalies that undermine justice.
Expectations keep rising, so prioritise client experience
Law firms are facing growing pressure to place greater focus on client experience or risk falling behind in an increasingly competitive legal market.
