Latest news
Khan receives second jail term for SRA order contempt
Former solicitor Sophie Khan is heading to jail for a second time for contempt of court after again failing to hand over documents sought by the Solicitors Regulation Authority.
SME firms performing well even though chargeable hours fall
Small and mid-sized law firms had a good year financially in 2021/22 but could perform better still if their fee-earners were billing the hours they should, research has found.
Unregulated paralegal firm “conducted litigation” in possession claim
A CILEX member running an unregulated business conducted litigation in breach of the Legal Services Act 2007 when she acted on a possession claim, the High Court has ruled.
PE-backed family law firm makes second acquisition in a year
A second acquisition in a year by private equity-owned Stowe Family Law leads the way in our round-up of the latest activity among alternative business structures.
Solicitor kept £60,000 of client funds as cash in firm’s safe
A solicitor who kept £60,000 of client funds in cash in the firm’s safe has been banned indefinitely from managing law firms.
New Zealand urged to embrace ABSs and independent regulation
A review of legal services in New Zealand has recommended the introduction of alternative business structures and an independent regulator.
Solicitor lost £230k of client money after falling for investment scam
A solicitor who lost £230,000 of a client’s money by moving it into her personal bank account and then investing in a scheme which turned out to be a scam has been struck off.
Clients “holding City law firms to account on diversity”
Clients are holding City law firms to account on diversity and firms that fail to respond to this pressure will lose work, the chair of the City of London Law Society has said.
Bar courses still unaffordable, students tell regulator
Nearly four in five Bar students still regard their courses as unaffordable despite an average drop of £4,700 in fees, research for the Bar Standards Board has found.
New duty on licensed conveyancers to treat customers fairly
An explicit requirement on licensed conveyancers to treat customers fairly has been adopted by their regulator as part of a revised set of ethical standards.
Blog
Amplifying reach through employee-driven thought leadership
Nine in 10 executives believe thought leadership is critical to building authority, yet only a quarter feel they have implemented a robust strategy.
Divorce escrow: asset sales before final settlement
When significant matrimonial assets are sold before a final financial order is agreed, holding the proceeds safely and neutrally can present real practical challenges.
AML lacks clarity – and standards are suffering
If firms are buckling under the pressure of AML regulations, subject to ever-increasing fines, then something is clearly not working as it should be.
