Latest news
Treasury decries Lords report and rejects delay for partnership tax reform
The Treasury has said last week’s House of Lords committee report calling for partnership tax changes to be delayed was already out-of-date, and confirmed they would come into force next month as planned.
SDT takes wrecking ball to LSB’s review of disciplinary regimes
The Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal has condemned the recent Legal Services Board recommendation of a civil standard of proof for use across disciplinary tribunals as “looking like a small tail wagging a large dog”.
Hudson to leave Law Society
Law Society chief executive Des Hudson has today announced that he will retire from his role in July, after the society’s annual general meeting. He has been under growing pressure since the vote of no-confidence in him in December.
Diversity: Neuberger backs career judges and urges culture change at City firms
The president of the Supreme Court, Lord Neuberger, has thrown his weight behind career judges as a way of improving diversity in the judiciary. He also bemoaned companies that choose to instruct “obsessive, testosterone-driven men rather than balanced, sensible women”.
Flawed SRA investigation leads tribunal to strike out case
The Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal has taken the unusual step of striking out a case against two solicitors in the middle of the hearing, after the integrity of the investigation by the Solicitors Regulation Authority was thrown into question.
BSB bids to put disciplinary appointments nightmare behind it with revamped regime
Three-quarters of the recommendations made by the 2012 Browne report into the disciplinary regime for barristers – sparked by irregularities over appointments to the disciplinary panels – have so far been implemented, according to a Bar Standards Board report.
Disproportionate representation of BME solicitors in SRA’s work “not caused by racism”
The disproportionately high representation of black and minority ethnic solicitors in the Solicitors Regulation Authority’s disciplinary work is caused by broader socio-economic factors around access to the profession, and not discrimination by the regulator, a major independent report has concluded.
New SRA chief executive promises fundamental review of regulation
There needs to be a fundamental review of the Solicitors Regulation Authority’s model of regulation, its new chief executive has told this website in his first interview since joining the organisation six weeks ago.
Withers ordered to pay out £1.6m over negligence claim
Leading London law firm Withers has been ordered to pay £1.6m in damages after the High Court upheld a claim of professional negligence over the drafting of an LLP agreement.
Edmonds urges Law Society and Bar Council to accept change in interests of their members
The attitude of “some in positions of immense responsibility” in the legal profession represents a “direct threat” to an innovative future for legal services, the chairman of the Legal Services Board has claimed.
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.
