Latest news
SRA whittles down diversity data non-compliers to hardcore 100
The Solicitors Regulation Authority has cut the number of law firms failing to hand over data on the diversity of their staff from 1,106 to 108. The regulator said it had made it “very clear” to the remaining firms that they would face enforcement action.
Division of claims complaints costs unfair, says First4Lawyers
The Ministry of Justice proposals on how the Legal Ombudsman’s costs for handling complaints against claims management companies are recovered disproportionally penalises those working in personal injury, a leading marketing collective has argued.
"Door is open" on regulation of will-writing, Kenny says
The government may look again at the question of whether to regulate will-writing, the chief executive of the Legal Services Board has indicated. Justice minister Shailesh Vara has left open the door “for further consideration”, Chris Kenny said.
CML warns on indemnity reforms: “Lenders will cut their panels”
Small firms and sole practitioners could be removed from conveyancing panels if the Solicitors Regulation Authority goes ahead with its indemnity insurance reforms, the Council of Mortgage Lenders (CML) has warned.
SRA slashes ABS licensing backlog
The Solicitors Regulation Authority has slashed its backlog of ABS licensing applications from 142 in January 2013 to 52 in April this year, it has emerged. The average age of work-in-progress ABS applications is now three months.
Grayling tells LSB to work towards its own abolition
The Lord Chancellor has set the Legal Services Board the task of working towards its own abolition as part of a push to reduce the burden of regulation on the legal profession, he revealed yesterday.
Partners in the spotlight as a fifth of firms report “competence failures”
Almost a fifth of firms have reported “failures in competent legal service delivery” in the last 12 months, a major study for the Solicitors Regulation Authority has found.
ASA orders leading PI firm to stop adverts due to NHS ‘confusion’
A well-known personal injury firm has been ordered to stop running a TV advert which directed clients to its NHSLaw.co.uk website, on the grounds that the public might confuse it with the National Health Service.
Not-for-profit’s groundbreaking ABS eyes expansion
In the third part of our series in which we catch up on the progress of the new breed of alternative business structures (ABSs), we speak to Castle Park Solicitors, which was the first ABS to be created by a legal advice charity.
New law to target “corrupt lawyers” who help criminals
“Corrupt lawyers” who help who organised crime gangs and hide behind a “veneer of respectability” will be targeted by a new offence, the Home Office announced yesterday.
Blog
Reorientation in the AI era must begin with the client
Much of the discussion about AI in the legal industry focuses on technology: which tools to adopt and which tasks might get automated. But this misses the deeper story.
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.
