Latest news
Tax man expecting rush of solicitors declaring income as ‘naming and shaming’ looms
HM Revenue & Customs is expecting a rush of solicitors owning up to income they have not declared as next Monday’s deadline for the ‘Solicitors Tax Campaign’ draws near.
LSB underplaying needs of “vulnerable” in favour of business, warns bar regulator
The Legal Services Board should not put the needs of business users of the courts before the “most vulnerable and disempowered”, the Bar Standards Board has argued.
Argument rages on over pros and cons of non-lawyer investment
Does non-lawyer ownership end damaging short-termism within law firms and improve both the economics and culture of legal practice, or does it risk standards and offer little in the way of increasing access to legal services?
Law Society warns LeO away from taking on complaints against unregulated providers
The Law Society has told the Legal Ombudsman that solicitors’ practising certificate fees should not be used for ‘thought leadership’ exercises that extend beyond legal services.
£20 per transaction – Veyo finally sets out pricing
The Law Society-backed conveyancing portal Veyo is to charge £20 per transaction, it announced today. The fee includes anti-money laundering searches and conveyancing forms.
5,600 firms sign up to Lender Exchange
Over 5,600 law firms have signed up to Lender Exchange, a website which stores information on conveyancing panel firms for mortgage lenders.
Latest ABSs: Mishcon de Reya, Lake District firm and probate advisers take the plunge
London-based Mishcon de Reya, a rural firm in the Lake District, and a firm that currently carries out no reserved legal work at all are among the latest businesses to obtain alternative business structure licences.
NewLaw set to rack up seven joint venture ABSs as PwC review of Quindell is delayed
NewLaw Solicitors is eyeing up another three alternative business structure joint ventures, its publicly listed owner revealed yesterday. NewLaw – itself only the fourth ABS licensed by the Solicitors Regulation Authority – already has four joint venture ABSs
LSB asks regulators to justify restrictions on in-house lawyers
Unnecessary restrictions on in-house lawyers could “impose costs and red tape, frustrate innovation and adversely affect access to justice”, the Legal Services Board has argued.
CLC criticises Law Society’s “quasi-regulatory” conveyancing schemes
The Council for Licensed Conveyancers (CLC) has criticised “quasi-regulatory” conveyancing schemes launched by the Law Society which could be seen as “duplicating” the CLC’s 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.
