Compliance & Regulation
Tribunal clears council solicitor who amended witness statement
A council solicitor who amended a signed witness statement without express confirmation of the changes before submitting it to the High Court has been cleared of misconduct.
Two-year suspension for City partner who groped associate
A male ex-partner at City giant Freshfields who groped a female associate after a team Christmas party has been suspended from practice for two years.
Lawyer executors “could do more” about risk of conflicts in probate
Law firms handling probate work could do more to guard against the risks of a conflict when administering estates and also acting as the executor, the SRA has cautioned.
Solicitors over-reliant on their COLPs, says SRA
Too many solicitors only check their professional obligations when things go wrong and are over-reliant on their firm’s COLP to keep on top of regulatory issues, according to SRA research.
Immigration adviser handed suspended jail sentence
A man who provided immigration advice and services without being regulated has been handed a suspended jail sentence.
BSB “not fit for purpose”, says Proudman after tribunal dismisses case
The Bar Standards Board has proven itself “unfit for purpose”, Dr Charlotte Proudman said yesterday after a disciplinary tribunal ruled she had no case to answer over tweets she sent.
“A modern-day traitor” – politicians’ disgust at failure to jail Shiner
There has been a strong reaction to the suspended prison sentence for disgraced solicitor Phil Shiner, with the shadow Lord Chancellor saying “it is an insult to British veterans that he is not behind bars”.
Law firm hits back over “inaccurate” BBC accusations of LPA misuse
An Essex law firm at the centre of a BBC investigation into possible abuse of LPAs has described it as “inaccurate” and “based on second or third-hand hearsay”.
Bar Council condemns KC found guilty of sexual misconduct
The Bar Council has condemned former Criminal Bar Association chair Navjot ‘Jo’ Sidhu KC after a disciplinary tribunal found serious professional misconduct of a sexual nature.
Solicitor who benefited from will rebuked over conflict
A partner who was a beneficiary of a will he drafted, without advising his client to take independent legal advice, has been rebuked by the Solicitors Regulation Authority.
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.
