Latest news
MoJ floats referral fee ban to curb housing disrepair misconduct
A ban on referral fees and an increase in the small claims limit are among ideas floated yesterday by the government to curb “unscrupulous” behaviour in housing disrepair cases.
Conditions removed from work of solicitor suspended over drugs
A City solicitor suspended for a year after a second police caution for possessing cocaine has had conditions on his return to practice removed.
Estate agency praised for dropping referral fee demands
An estate agency has been praised for publicly disavowing future demands for referral fees, describing them as “the quiet scandal” in the industry.
Ex-law firm owner sentenced to 12 months in jail for contempt
The non-lawyer owner of a defunct law firm has been sentenced to 12 months’ imprisonment for contempt after she failed to comply with a freezing order obtained by its previous owners.
Solicitor fined for failing to spot money laundering red flags
A solicitor who failed to spot red flags for potential fraud/money laundering while acting on two loans worth £464,000 has been fined £15,000.
Judicial mediation becoming a “safety net” for parties
A High Court master has explained how judicial mediation was able to resolve a dispute, where one of the sides was unable to afford a private mediation.
Digital property pack wins government data prize
A digital property pack which combines multiple sources of data into a “single source of truth” for conveyancers and others has won a government prize worth £50,000.
Barrister disbarred for sexual harassment was in “position of power”
A senior male barrister who sexually harassed a female junior shortly out of pupillage “must have appreciated that he was in a position of power and importance” to her.
Solicitor jailed for using drug money to pay mortgage struck off
A solicitor jailed for 26 months last year for using drug money generated by his twin brother to pay a mortgage has been struck off.
Most pupil barristers still coming from Oxbridge
A majority of pupil barristers (53%) have backgrounds at Oxford or Cambridge universities, while 42% come from private schools, new research has found.
Blog
The importance of benchmarking reports – and lessons on profitability
Regional firms reported the largest revenue growth this year (12%), outpacing their City counterparts. Yet many are not converting that growth into profitability.
Fixed recoverable costs: Sacrificing justice for predictability?
The extended fixed recoverable costs regime is failing to achieve its stated objectives. Instead of promoting fairness and efficiency, the rules are creating anomalies that undermine justice.
Expectations keep rising, so prioritise client experience
Law firms are facing growing pressure to place greater focus on client experience or risk falling behind in an increasingly competitive legal market.
