Latest news
Court: Solicitors’ breaches of AML rules “strict liability offences”
Breaches of AML rules are effectively strict liability offences and the SRA does not need to show severity to prove misconduct, the High Court ruled yesterday.
“Clear evidence” that solicitor apprenticeships aid social mobility
There is now “clear evidence” that solicitor apprenticeships are facilitating social mobility, analysis by the Solicitors Regulation Authority has shown.
Costs judge allows £700 an hour in biggest departure from guidelines
A costs judge has allowed a leading US law firm to recover partner costs at £700 per hour, said to be the largest ever departure from the guideline hourly rates.
AI will allow conveyancers “to resume role of trusted advisors”
Artificial intelligence will not mark the end of the traditional conveyancer and will instead put them back into their old trusted advisor role, a roundtable has heard.
SRA’s Philip says retirement plan predated Axiom Ince
The retirement of SRA chief executive Paul Philip has nothing to do with the Axiom Ince scandal, he has emphasised. Meanwhile, the chair of the BSB is stepping down too.
Solicitor cannot base victimisation claim on firm’s report to SRA
A solicitor cannot base a victimisation claim against her law firm at the employment tribunal on it reporting her to the Solicitors Regulation Authority, a judge has ruled.
City law firm takes action over “anti-Islam” HR advisor
City law firm CMS has taken “decisive action” after learning that a senior member of its HR team, a prospective Reform UK councillor, posted anti-Islamic and anti-transgender comments on X.
Investment in UK lawtech hit £140m last year
Last year saw UK lawtech companies raise £140m in funding as they attracted more investors in the UK and internationally than ever before, according to a new report.
Thousands of privileged documents disclosed in “unprecedented” error
An “extraordinary” and “unprecedented” failure of disclosure that has seen thousands of privileged documents released to the other side has been revealed in the High Court.
Firm and two partners fined £50k for offering banking facility
A law firm and two of its partners have been fined nearly £50,000 between them for allowing two wealthy clients to use its client account as a banking facility.
Blog
Accountability has to live within governance, not with one person
The assumption has long been that a COLP or COFA is personally exposed to the consequences of anti-money laundering breaches.
The SRA’s client money reforms: good intentions, questionable execution
On the face of it, the SRA’s plans to tighten protections around client money sounds sensible. The detail, as ever, tells a more complicated story.
Recruitment, retention and reward in the legal accounts world
Understanding the legal finance market is important – not just for those actively involved in it day-to-day but also for leaders within law firms.
