Compliance & Regulation
Legal Ombudsman fights off JR of refusal to uphold complaint
The High Court has dismissed a judicial review of a decision by the Legal Ombudsman to reject a complaint about a law firm made 18 years after the service was provided.
SRA stance on SLAPPs “will discourage lawyers from media work”
The stance of the SRA over SLAPPs will make lawyers reluctant to act on cases that could fall foul of the SLAPPs Bill going through Parliament, the Society of Media Lawyers has warned.
LSB tells regulators they need to promote tech and innovation
Legal regulators should consider explaining to the public “the benefits of using technology and innovation to access legal services”, the Legal Services Board has said.
Licensed conveyancer disqualified for “pattern” of dishonesty
A licensed conveyancer who lied to a client and fabricated a letter to him, lied to her law firm about it and then lied again to her regulator has been disqualified for 10 years.
Suspension for barrister who lied to client over binned files
A direct access barrister who lied to a client over files that were accidentally destroyed by his chambers has been suspended for six months by a Bar disciplinary tribunal.
Court orders law firm and partners to repay loans from couple
The High Court has ruled that a law firm and four of its former partners must repay money borrowed under loan agreements with a husband and his wife.
SRA anti-money laundering blitz continues with £76k in fines
The Solicitors Regulation Authority blitz on breaches of anti-money laundering rules has continued, with more than £76,000 in fines handed out to a solicitor and four law firms.
Suspended sentence for struck-off solicitor who misused client funds
A solicitor who used a client’s £132,000 divorce settlement to pay off her tax bill and give money to her daughter has been handed a suspended prison sentence.
SLAPPs review: Law firms show signs of improved behaviour
Law firms’ conduct of cases involving privacy and reputation appears to have improved over the past 18 months, according to new research by the Solicitors Regulation Authority.
Sunak promises ministerial action over SSB Law collapse
The collapse of SSB Law and impact on its former clients came to the attention of Rishi Sunak this week after it was raised at Prime Minister’s Questions.
Blog
Small steps, big impact: how SME law firms are making legal tech work
For SME law firms, the priority is turning the potential of tech into measurable impact: success is driven not just by the technology, but by how firms approach planning and implementation.
Why housing disrepair claims against councils have leapt by nearly 400%
Housing disrepair claims against councils have surged dramatically in recent years, with some areas reporting increases approaching a staggering 400%.
Client accounts: Opportunity, obligation and the risks in between
The profitability gap between well-run firms and the rest is not primarily a function of size, location or practice area – it is a function of financial management.
