Latest news
Veteran barrister disbarred for “recklessly misleading” tribunal
A veteran barrister who attempted to recklessly mislead the court and failed to provide his direct access client with a competent service has been disbarred.
Market for alternative legal services providers grows by 40%
There has been another big rise in the size of the alternative legal services provider market, up by around 40% in only two years to $28.5bn (£22.9bn) globally.
Solvency fears at RBG suspends trading in shares
RBG Holdings – the AIM-listed owner of London law firms Rosenblatt and Memery Crystal – has suspended trading in its shares amid worries about its solvency.
SRA can keep disciplinary decisions online for longer
The Legal Services Board has approved plans by the SRA to change its publication policy and keep details of misconduct on its website for longer.
Solicitors “letting down” women subjected to economic abuse
Lawyers giving independent legal advice in cases of potential economic abuse of women are helping the abusers more than their clients, new research has suggested.
Court orders law firm to pay costs for “improper” conduct of case
The Family Court has ordered a law firm to pay 35% of a father’s costs for its “improper, unreasonable and negligent acts”, with their client ordered to pay the rest.
Ban for trainee who misled employer over reason for day off
A trainee solicitor who misled her employer over why she wanted a day off work, seemingly to hide the fact that she was in court over planning breaches, has been banned from the profession.
Solicitor cleared of AML offences he had admitted to
The SDT has taken the unusual step of rejecting a solicitor’s admissions that he should have done more due diligence on £24m paid into his firm’s client account.
KC applications up as succees rate continues to fall
The appointments of 105 new King’s Counsel were announced on Friday after the highest number of applications for 16 years – but the success rate continues to fall.
MoJ mulls relaxing limits on remote advice for legal aid clients
The government is considering relaxing rules that control the amount of remote client consultations civil legal aid providers can offer, as well as their office opening times.
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”.
