Latest news
Claim against law firm back on after High Court overturns strike-out
The High Court has overturned a master’s decision to strike out a claim against a London law firm because of a release clause in a previous settlement involving its clients.
Knights returns to the acquisition trail with £12.5m deal
Listed law firm consolidator Knights has unveiled its first acquisition in over a year – and 22nd in total – by announcing a £12.5m deal for West Midlands firm Thursfields Legal.
Number of LPAs registered soars by 28%
There was a 28% surge in the number of applications for lasting powers of attorney last year, but the Office of the Public Guardian still managed to reduce its backlog.
Sham marriages solicitor is struck off
A solicitor who arranged sham marriages as an immigration lawyer while “falsely representing” to the Home Office that his own marriage was genuine, has been struck off.
TV personalities wade in over agents “forcing” conveyancers on buyers
Estate agents forcing buyers to use their preferred lawyers, or at least charge more if they do not, has come under the spotlight thanks to TV personalities Martin Lewis and Kirstie Allsopp.
Local authority solicitor who lied about care order struck off
A local authority solicitor who provided “false and misleading information” to colleagues over a period of 18 months about an application to discharge a child’s care order has been struck off.
Law Society “must become more responsive to members” after SGM
The Law Society “must become much more responsive to its members working at the coalface of legal services”, the head of the Property Lawyers Action Group has said.
Investors pour $1bn into leading lawtech business
Two leading names in the world of legal technology, Clio and Harvey, announced huge fund-raises this week, valuing them at $3bn and $1.5bn respectively.
Stonewall did not “induce” chambers’ discrimination against barrister
An employment tribunal was entitled to reject a barrister’s claim that LGBT charity Stonewall “caused or induced” discrimination against her by her chambers, the EAT has ruled.
Costs of low-value clin neg claims now exceed damages
Claimant costs bills for clinical negligence claims valued up to £25,000 now exceed damages for the first time, and costs overall have risen by 11%, according to NHS data.
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.
