Latest news
Health-justice partnerships helping people to access legal advice
Co-locating legal and health support services is producing results, with some clients saying they would not have accessed support without a healthcare professional directing them to it.
Generative AI could make contract negotiation “worse”
Generative artificial intelligence could make commercial contract negotiations “worse”, the founder of contracting specialists Radiant Law has argued.
Licensed conveyancers being brought back into AML compliance
More than 40% of firms of licensed conveyancers inspected by their regulator in the past year were non-compliant with anti-money laundering rules, a review has revealed.
Guideline hourly rates to rise in January as Vos implements CJC review
The Master of the Rolls today publicly accepted the recommendations of the Civil Justice Council’s costs review, starting with an increase in the guideline hourly rates in January.
Transparency rule failures lead SRA to issue first fixed penalties
Three law firms that failed to comply with the transparency rules have become the first to receive fixed £750 fines under the Solicitors Regulation Authority’s new regime.
LSB chief: Profession needs “course correction” to boost public confidence
Lawyers need to recognise that their role comes with “privileges and obligations” at a time of public concern about unethical behaviour, the chief executive of the Legal Services Board has said.
Family lawyer who took advantage of abuse victims is struck off
A family law solicitor who lied to and took advantage of vulnerable clients, including victims of domestic violence, has been struck off and ordered to pay almost £75,000 in costs.
High Court laments “wholly unacceptable” last-minute adjournment
A Commercial Court judge has blamed a claimant “in large part” for the “wholly unacceptable” last-minute adjournment of their case after he had begun pre-reading for it.
Government plan to address PACCAR “does not go far enough”
Lawyers and litigation funders have expressed disappointment at the government’s legislative proposal to address the Supreme Court’s PACCAR ruling.
Allow us to refuse work for ethical reasons, junior lawyers tell firms
Junior lawyers want the right to refuse to work on certain matters for ethical reasons, but few firms currently allow it, research has found. They are frustrated too by the slow pace of cultural change.
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.
