Latest news
Show some “energy” to tackle ethics concerns, LSB chief tells regulators
The “lack of energy” from legal regulators to deal with what appears to be strategic failures of regulation is becoming “mildly ridiculous”, the chief executive of the LSB has argued.
First law firm B Corp calls in B Corp ALSP
Bates Wells, the first UK law firm to become a B Corp, has started working with alternative legal services provider Obelisk Support, while Freeths has become the largest legal B Corp.
NDA and SLAPP misuse continuing despite regulatory warnings
Solicitors are still engaging in dubious practices around non-disclosure agreements and strategic lawsuits against public participation, despite regulatory warnings, it was claimed last week.
Lawyers’ use of generative AI “accelerating quickly”
Lawyers’ use of generative AI is accelerating quickly but there is a major mismatch between in-house and private practice expectations of the impact on billing, new research has found.
Rule committee opposed elements of FRC reforms, minutes show
The Civil Procedure Rule Committee rejected some of the government proposals to amend the extended fixed recoverable costs regime that will come into force this year, it has emerged.
CA warns against misuse of judgment clarification procedure
The delivery of a judgment “is not a transactional process”, the Court of Appeal has warned, saying the clarification procedure was being misused in family cases.
Woman fails in contempt bid over application to debar her solicitors
A woman has failed in her bid to bring contempt proceedings against her ex-husband and his business associate, who she claimed conspired in an attempt to stop her instructing certain solicitors.
Scale and pace of law firm M&A “will increase this year”
There is a “higher level of confidence” among law firm buyers and “clear signs that the scale and pace” of M&A will increase in 2024, a report has found.
NAO exposes government’s failure to manage legal aid market
The Ministry of Justice’s failure to manage the legal aid market – beyond reducing its budget – has been laid bare by a major report from the National Audit Office.
Public “may reasonably question” SRA approach to Post Office scandal
Members of the public may “reasonably question” the ‘wait and see’ approach of the SRA to disciplinary action in the Post Office scandal, a regulatory expert and former SRA manager has said.
Blog
The cost of systemic failure and childbirth injuries
Recent reports show that the NHS has paid almost £3.5bn in medical claims around childbirth injuries over the past six years.
Mazur: when regulators make simple things complicated
What the last six months have shown is that supervision cannot be treated as a background compliance obligation quietly managed somewhere in a firm’s operational processes.
How unstoppable AI is reshaping UK legal practice
At a time when most technology innovation still flows from the US and China, UK lawtech is attracting growing international attention and capital.
