Latest news
High Court criticises “disorganised and unhelpful” solicitor
The High Court has criticised a solicitor’s “disorganised and unhelpful” conduct of a claim in refusing to set aside an order that his client’s costs budget be limited to the court fees.
“Not a steady state period” – SRA extends chair’s term
The board of the Solicitors Regulation Authority has decided to extend Anna Bradley’s term as chair for a further two years rather than recruit a replacement.
SRA ban for employed barrister jailed for rape
An employed barrister jailed for raping a woman he met on Tinder has been banned from working for law firms after he failed in his appeal.
Strike-off for solicitor who used client money to keep firm afloat
A sole practitioner who used client money to pay his law firm’s business costs, including the salaries of several family members who worked for him, has been struck off.
Solicitor convicted of blackmailing fellow director struck off
A solicitor convicted of blackmailing a fellow director with a threat to blow the whistle in an attempt to negotiate an exit from their company has been struck off.
Proudman can argue BSB discrimination in Bar tribunal case
Dr Charlotte Proudman will be allowed to argue before a disciplinary tribunal that the Bar Standards Board discriminated against her by bringing a prosecution over tweets she posted.
Firm fined for AML compliance failure as solicitor faces tribunal
An East London law firm has become the latest to be fined by the Solicitors Regulation Authority over its failure to comply with anti-money laundering rules.
Delays fall as Probate Service performance improves
The Probate Service has now been issuing more grants per month than the number of applications it receives for a year, with delays now falling, new figures have shown.
Regulators and lawyers “must do more” for learning disabled clients
Legal regulators have been urged to develop a ‘disability-friendly’ quality mark for law firms, who in turn should hand out ‘easy read’ client information for those with learning disabilities.
Birss: Costs budgeting-lite and GHR for counsel on their way
The next steps to implement the Civil Justice Council’s 2023 costs review are underway, although it is not yet certain how far the guideline hourly rates will be extended to counsel.
Blog
Beyond PCP: Can regulators and lawyers work better together next time?
Nearly a decade after the Financial Conduct Authority began investigating the car finance industry, the story of the PCP commission scandal is still unfinished.
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.
