Latest news
Stress and anxiety to the fore in LawCare’s busiest year yet
More than 1,000 people reached out to lawyer healthcare charity LawCare in 2024, the busiest year in its 25-year existence, with stress and anxiety the main cause.
“No need” for stricter rules on litigation funding
There is “no need” for stricter regulation of third-party litigation in the EU, an umbrella group of 44 consumer organisations in both Europe and the UK has said.
“Unacceptable” for actor’s lawyers to allege evidence fabrication
It was “unacceptable” for lawyers representing the actor Noel Clarke to allege The Guardian newspaper fabricated evidence in defending his libel claim, the High Court has ruled.
Trainee solicitor “should have known tribunal time limits”
A trainee solicitor’s employment tribunal claims have been thrown out because he gave no credible reason for why they were issued out of time.
Axing apprenticeship funding “a disaster for the legal profession”
Scrapping government funding for Level 7 apprenticeships would be “a disaster for the legal profession and have a highly negative impact on social mobility and diversity”.
City law firm puts focus on helping clients use AI
A City law firm is putting a focus on “helping clients understand the potential” of AI, with a new tool which acts as a “custom-built AI layer” for them.
Law firms switch indemnity insurers in “more plentiful” market
The proportion of law firms switching insurer for lower premiums at last year’s October renewal rose significantly with capacity “much more plentiful”, with good signs for this year too.
LeO halves amount of time that staff need to be in office
The Legal Ombudsman is bucking the wider trend of requiring staff to spend more time in the office and is instead halving it to the equivalent of one day a week.
Carr floats formal mediation council for civil and commercial work
The Lady Chief Justice has suggested that a new mediation council should be set up for civil and commercial matters to bolster England and Wales’s status as a leading international mediation centre.
Law Society and Bar Council attack LSB’s “huge” budget hike
The Law Society and the Bar Council have strongly attacked plans by the Legal Services Board to increase its budget by 14% to over £6m for the year ahead.
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”.
