Compliance & Regulation
Barrister fined for accusing senior judge of misconduct loses appeal
The High Court has dismissed an appeal by a barrister fined £15,000 for making an “unfounded and serious allegation of misconduct in public office” against a senior judge.
New approach to client complaints may be needed in age of AI
Existing approaches to legal services complaints handling “might not be suited to the challenges posed” by the age of AI, the Law Society has warned.
LeO directs law firm to pay £49k in latest public interest decisions
The Legal Ombudsman directed London law firm Laytons to pay £49,000 in compensation to a client for failing to register her lease extension in the latest batch of public interest decisions.
Sports solicitor fails in challenge to SRA intervention
A High Court judge has rejected a high-profile sports lawyer’s challenge to an intervention in his law firm by the Solicitors Regulation Authority.
SRA highlights spike in conduct complaints amid “outsourcing ruse”
Misconduct reports about solicitors have risen 27% in the past year – and 58% over two years – the Solicitors Regulation Authority has revealed.
Financial Services Bill will be vehicle for AML switch to FCA
The government is set to legislate to transfer the anti-money laundering supervision of lawyers to the Financial Conduct Authority, it has emerged.
Judge refers solicitors to SRA for fake AI-generated cases
A circuit judge has referred two solicitors to the Solicitors Regulation Authority for submitting hallucinated cases to the court.
“Significant new evidence” in employment judge misconduct case
The Judicial Conduct Investigations Office has agreed to reinvestigate allegations of bullying and intimidation against Employment Judge Philip Lancaster, in light of “significant new evidence”.
Tribunal clears law clinic solicitor of trying to mislead employer
An immigration solicitor has been cleared of misleading her employer over her conduct of an asylum case after a three-day Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal hearing.
King’s Speech: No litigation funding, SLAPPs or AML reform
The King’s Speech yesterday was notable as much for what was not in it as what was, with significant omissions including the promised litigation funding bill.
Blog
Is clients’ use of AI destroying legal privilege?
Much has been written about the risks of lawyers misusing AI. However, in my view, the greater challenge lies elsewhere: the routine use of AI by clients themselves.
Does the Lloyd review mark the end of the Legal Services Act?
The Legal Services Board often generates eye-rolls and irritation from the leaders of the frontline regulators it oversees and of the representative bodies attached to them.
A familiar story?
There is no doubt that the rising cost of clinical negligence claims deserves attention. However, the system’s true cost driver is often not the claim itself.
