Latest news
High Court stops disgruntled claimant pursuing lawyers in Hendrix case
The ghost of legendary guitarist Jimi Hendrix loomed large in the High Court yesterday when a judge struck out claims against senior lawyers and imposed a civil restraint order on the claimant, in the latest twist of long-running litigation over his musical legacy.
Referral fees in criminal cases could lead to “arrest chasing”
Removing the ban on referral fees in criminal cases could lead to “arrest chasing” by solicitors, the Bar Council has warned, and result in “as much public opprobrium” as ambulance chasing. However, the Bar Council backed third-party accounts for solicitors.
SDT: insurance application errors “carelessness not misconduct”
Two partners have been cleared by the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal of misconduct relating to errors and omissions in their firm’s application for indemnity insurance, and unusually were allowed to maintain their anonymity throughout.
Revealed: LeO staff will not be forced to repay “irregular” benefits
Staff working for the Legal Ombudsman will not have to repay hundreds of thousands of pounds of “irregular” benefits they received from their employer, it has been decided. Having sought advice from the Treasury Solicitor, its board agreed that “repayment should not be pursued”.
Law Society: “Piecemeal” SRA reforms could create “perverse incentives”
The Law Society has launched a sustained attack on plans by the Solicitors Regulation Authority to introduce third-party accounts, allow referral fees in legal aid cases and remove the requirement on firms to carry out reserved activities.
Lifting referral fee ban will give green light to “least ethical” solicitors
Ending the ban on referral fees in legal aid cases risks approving the practices of some of the solicitors’ profession’s “least ethical and least professional members”, barristers have claimed.
LeO set to consult on accepting complaints from third parties and clients of unregulated providers
The Legal Ombudsman is set to consult on allowing third parties to complain about lawyers in certain circumstances, it has emerged. It will also consult on establishing a voluntary scheme that enables unregulated providers to give their customers access to redress
Plant: CBE a recognition of SRA progress
Charles Plant, the former chairman of the Solicitors Regulation Authority, has described the award of a CBE in the Queen’s Birthday Honours List as “recognition” of the work done by the regulator during his tenure. Mr Plant, who is now retired, was cited for services to legal regulation and education.
Judges must not speak out on matters “hotly debated in Parliament”, Beatson LJ says
It would be wrong for judges to “intervene or to comment while a matter is being hotly debated in parliament”, Lord Justice Beatson has said. He said that judges may have to respond in private in “exceptional circumstances”.
Exclusive: American ABS considering merger with accountants
The second alternative business structure to be set up by a US firm in the UK is considering a merger with a firm of forensic accountants, Legal Futures can reveal. Foran Glennon (UK) specialises in insurance work.
Blog
Awaab’s Law phase 2: New hazards council tenants can now claim for
The conversation on housing disrepair is moving beyond damp and mould alone. With the rollout of phase 2 of Awaab’s Law, the scope of issues covered is expanding significantly,
Beyond PCP: Can regulators and lawyers work better together next time?
Nearly a decade after the Financial Conduct Authority began investigating the car finance industry, the story of the PCP commission scandal is still unfinished.
Accountability has to live within governance, not with one person
The assumption has long been that a COLP or COFA is personally exposed to the consequences of anti-money laundering breaches.
