Latest news
Mortgage fraud inquiry delays SRA’s draft conveyancing strategy further
The Solicitors Regulation Authority is to review efforts to combat mortgage fraud, a move that will push back final approval of its draft conveyancing strategy to 2014 – more than two years later than first planned.
Accountants told to respect spirit of legal services reforms if they want to regulate probate
The Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales needs to abide by the spirit of the legal services reforms if it is to regulate probate work, the Legal Services Consumer Panel has urged.
Exclusive: country’s largest multi-office firm eyes national expansion
The largest multi-office practice in the country has set its sights on establishing a national high street presence, possibly with the aid of external investment, after a period of significant growth, Legal Futures can reveal.
SRA cedes handling of insolvency complaints
The Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) has brought in the Insolvency Practitioners Association (IPA) to handle complaints against solicitor insolvency practitioners. It follows criticism by the Insolvency Service of the SRA.
Lawyers2you network reaches London, Leeds and Manchester
Shopping centre legal brand Lawyers2you added London, Leeds and Manchester to its growing list of locations this week as it plans also to target some of the capital’s most popular markets and in time introduce video conferencing as well.
SRA reaches out to firms posing financial stability risk
All law firms judged to present a risk of financial instability are to be contacted by the Solicitors Regulation Authority by the end of this month, Legal Futures can reveal. However, it is urging firms facing financial difficulty to overcome their mistrust and contact them early.
LPO warning to law firms as general counsel freeze them out
The global legal process outsourcing market will double in value by 2015 to more than £2bn but general counsel are increasingly freezing out law firms and buying outsourced services direct, according to new research.
Conveyancers and PI firm named latest ABSs
The residential conveyancing department of a Leicester law practice has left the firm to become an alternative business structure, while a sole practitioner targeting lender panels and a personal injury practice in Cheshire have also gained licences.
Compliance officer failures bolster SRA bid for automatic fining powers
The Solicitors Regulation Authority is to seek powers to levy automatic fines for breaches of its rules to avoid a repeat of the embarrassment caused by hundreds of law firms failing to nominate compliance officers on time.
ABSs and phone-hacking highlight need for regulators to focus on ethics, says LSB report
The introduction of alternative business structures – along with scandals in other sectors – means regulators need to monitor ethics across the legal profession more closely, new research has argued.
Blog
The SRA needs to admit it got it wrong about SLAPPs
The High Court judgment in Ashley Hurst v SRA in January raises serious questions about the regulator’s approach to allegations of SLAPP-like behaviour.
Why menopause support belongs on every law firm’s agenda
Progression in the law slows significantly as women approach senior leadership. Most will be at the height of their careers around the average age menopause symptoms begin.
Law firms need to go beyond document checks
At the root of every failed compliance review is a familiar phrase: a calm assertion of “but we did a document check”.
