Compliance & Regulation
Solicitor who practised while suspended is struck off
A solicitor who practised while suspended has been struck off, while the law firm owner who unwittingly employed him received a suspended sentence.
Solicitor suspended for not disclosing own-interest conflict
A law firm owner has been suspended for not disclosing conflicts of interest to clients, including that his wife was a director of the property development company they were buying from.
Solicitors set to pay £38m towards Law Society’s representative work
Solicitors are set to pay £38m towards being represented by the Law Society after it announced plans for a 2% rise in the income it takes from the annual practising fees.
Judge “helped duty solicitor avoid security checks”
A tribunal judge who let a solicitor bypass security checks to enter a courthouse – leading to a confrontation with security staff – has been given formal advice for misconduct.
Council fines law firm for breaking law in collecting rent for clients
The First-tier Tribunal has upheld an £8,400 fine imposed on a law firm for not belonging to a client money protection scheme while collecting rent for properties owned by clients.
“You’ve put a target on my back” – Hamas barrister attacks TV presenter
The barrister acting for terror group Hamas has accused a Talk TV presenter of putting a “target on my back” by associating him with his client.
Law firm employee banned for lying to client about complaint
A law firm team manager who misled a client about the progress of his complaint rather than admit a mistake has been barred from working in the profession.
Lawyers for Hamas under spotlight over bid to remove terror label
A South London law firm representing Hamas has put itself at the centre of a political and social media storm after applying to have it removed from the list of proscribed organisations.
Legal Ombudsman increases budget further despite opposition
The Legal Ombudsman is to increase its budget by £2m or 11.4%, having received fierce criticism of its initial plan for a 10.2% rise – but it was nearly even more.
Paralegal fabricated email to cover up error
A paralegal has been banned from the profession for fabricating an email in a bid to cover up a mistake she made that led to a case being struck out.
Blog
The real cure for inequality at law firms? Listening
How can men, as one male panellist put it, “get out of the way of people coming up through the ranks?”
Most of these conversations only happen after the men leave the room.
Andy Burnham and the Hillsborough Law: should solicitors be worried?
Now that Andy Burnham has become prime minister, the Public Office (Accountability) Bill, otherwise known as the Hillsborough Law, will receive a real boost of political capital.
Defending fair fees in the property profession
If the property industry is serious about moving towards 28-day exchanges, then it must confront not only the practical barriers, but the commercial behaviours too.
