Compliance & Regulation
Law firms need to act over new duty to prevent sexual harassment
Law firms will need to rethink their approach to alcohol at events as part of preparing for the new positive legal duty on employers to prevent sexual harassment in the workplace.
Pupil barrister fined for f-word outbursts during online exam
A pupil barrister has been fined £500 for a series of foul-mouthed outbursts at a remote invigilator during an online ethics exam, which ended with him raising his middle finger to the camera.
£36k fine for law firm which let millions pass through client account
A specialist sports law firm has been fined £36,000, and its COFA rebuked, for allowing its client account to be used as a banking facility.
Solicitor leaves roll after misusing dormant client money
A solicitor who transferred £15,000 that was long sat dormant in client account to his firm’s office account has agreed to remove himself from the roll of solicitors.
Call to charge lawyers £450 to make complaint to FOS
A trade association for financial advisers has called on the Financial Ombudsman Service to impose charges of £450 per case on law firms and CMCs making volume complaints.
Barrister who bought drugs from criminal clients disbarred
A barrister jailed for 14 months for obtaining drugs from two men he was representing has been disbarred after his fourth appearance before a Bar disciplinary tribunal.
Conveyancers “overlooking post-completion work” after taking fee
The Council for Licensed Conveyancers has outlined its “growing concern” that post-completion work is not being done properly and promptly.
First SDT appearance for Zahawi lawyer accused of SLAPP
The first proceedings at the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal over an alleged SLAPP (strategic litigation against public participation) began yesterday.
SRA “should be bolder” on third-party managed accounts
The Solicitors Regulation Authority should be “bolder” in its approach to third-party managed accounts, the Legal Services Consumer Panel has argued.
Barrister GC: Why can’t I sign off trainee solicitors’ work experience?
A general counsel has complained that she is unable to sign off the qualifying work experience (QWE) of trainee solicitors because she is a barrister.
Blog
The SRA’s client money reforms: good intentions, questionable execution
On the face of it, the SRA’s plans to tighten protections around client money sounds sensible. The detail, as ever, tells a more complicated story.
Recruitment, retention and reward in the legal accounts world
Understanding the legal finance market is important – not just for those actively involved in it day-to-day but also for leaders within law firms.
From ‘year zero’ to £6.5m – how a law firm found its second life
In 2018, I hit what I call ‘year zero’. On paper, Olliers Solicitors was a top-tier criminal defence firm but beneath the surface, I could see we were at a crossroads.
