Latest news
LSB hints at support for solicitors’ position in row with barristers over QASA
The Legal Services Board has given the clearest hint yet that it is supporting the position of solicitors in the row over the Quality Assurance Scheme for Advocates. Legal Futures also understands that the LSB is pushing the Bar Standards Board to accept a compromise.
Government suffers two defeats over Jackson but reforms stay largely intact
The House of Lords yesterday inflicted two defeats on the government over part 2 of the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Bill, but the main elements of the Jackson reforms remained intact. Third-party litigation funding and referral fees were also under the spotlight.
COLP and COFA nomination process to begin “within six weeks”, says SRA
The form that allows law firms to nominate their compliance officers for legal practice and for finance and administration should go live in the next six weeks, the Solicitors Regulation Authority said yesterday, while also revealing some of the information it will require about them.
Appeal court frees solicitor after quashing convictions for fraud and money laundering
The Court of Appeal yesterday quashed the conviction of a solicitor jailed for fraud and money laundering in £650,000 worth of property transactions. However, a conviction for perverting the course of justice – for selling a Lamborghini that was subject to a freezing order – was unaffected.
LSB calls on consumers and indemnity insurers to help drive improvements in legal services
Regulators should empower consumers to drive improvements in the quality of legal services, while professional indemnity insurers could hand over firm-specific claims data to help target poorly performing practices, the Legal Services Board has suggested.
Government launches tender to provide entire public sector with e-disclosure services
The government has recognised the ever-growing importance of e-disclosure and launched a £7m tender to appoint up to five e-disclosure providers to service the whole of the UK public sector.
Review sets out “radical” options for reform of legal education and training
More common training of would-be lawyers, sector-wide CPD, and scrapping the training contract and pupillage, are among the “more radical” options being considered by the Legal Education and Training Review, according to its first discussion paper, issued yesterday.
News round-up: firm overturns £100k wasted costs order, record number of law firms, and much more
Our latest round-up of news includes Fisher Meredith winning an appeal against a big wasted costs order, SRA figures on the number of firms and solicitors, the first law firm to ‘pin’ on growing social media service Pinterest, fee income up at the largest law firms, and more.
Experts attack "patently unfair" government bid to make key Jackson reform retrospective
A government bid to give the key element of the Jackson reforms retrospective effect was today branded “patently unfair” by costs experts and likely to encourage defendants to start stringing out cases.
Labour turns attention to making referral fees a criminal offence and halving portal fees in LASPO battle
Making the ban on paying referral fees for personal injury work a criminal offence is among a range of changes to part 2 of the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Bill that will be put to the House of Lords this week, after peers inflicted six defeats on the government over its legal aid reforms.
Blog
How unstoppable AI is reshaping UK legal practice
At a time when most technology innovation still flows from the US and China, UK lawtech is attracting growing international attention and capital.
Modern vehicles: new injury profiles and new legal challenges
As the number of electric vehicles on UK roads continues to grow year-on-year, it is important to address the risks that come with their increased adoption.
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.
