Compliance & Regulation
SRA issues £1.5m in fines since enhanced power came on stream
The Solicitors Regulation Authority has used the enhanced fining power to issue more than £1.5m fines on solicitors in its first two years, new figures have shown.
Blacker fails in challenge to Inner Temple’s membership refusal
Alan Blacker – the struck-off solicitor once dubbed by a judge as dressing “like something out of Harry Potter” – has failed in a challenge to a decision refusing him membership of the Bar.
Junior solicitor struck off for misleading probate clients
A recently qualified solicitor at Irwin Mitchell who misled multiple contentious probate clients about the progress of their cases has been struck off.
Male barrister disbarred again over harassing female pupils
A barrister who won a bid to have his disbarment for sexual harassing two pupils and a woman on a mini-pupillage reconsidered has been disbarred once again.
SRA ordered to pay solicitor £184k costs for “improper” prosecution
The SRA has been ordered to pay a solicitor costs of £184,000 over a prosecution the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal described as “improperly brought”.
£50k fine for lawyer over omissions when applying to join Bar
A high-profile Italian lawyer who failed to declare various adverse findings about himself when applying to be called to the English Bar has been reprimanded and fined £50,000.
SRA to quiz probate lawyers who “failed to reflect” on training
The SRA is to question probate solicitors who “simply listed” in their training records what they had done, rather than providing “evidence of reflection”.
Court upholds suspension of barrister in debt to ex-law firm partner
The High Court has upheld a six-month suspension imposed on a barrister who failed to comply with a court order to pay £54,600 to a former salaried partner in his law firm.
Partners struck off for misleading HM Land Registry
Two experienced partners who submitted paperwork to HM Land Registry with fake names to conceal the true owners of properties have been struck off.
Post Office investigations to push up costs of barrister regulation
The cost of practising as a barrister is set to rise by 8.5%, in part to finance continuing investigations into counsel involved in the Post Office scandal.
Blog
Whistleblowing guidance for in-house lawyers – a call to arms
In-house lawyers are in a unique position to spot wrongdoing. But reporting it is not just potentially dangerous from a personal point of view.
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.
