Latest news
Law Society opposes SRA plan to ban firms being paid upfront
Solicitors Regulation Authority plans to stop law firms taking money for costs in advance of work being done could harm those working on fixed fees, the Law Society has warned.
Government decides to sign Singapore mediation convention
The government has decided that the UK should join the Singapore Convention, which provides a framework for international recognition and enforcement of commercial mediation agreements.
HF gives staff shares as it bids to double turnover in four years
Defendant insurance law firm HF has handed employees free shares in the business as part of an ambitious growth plan that includes diversification, acquisition and maybe even a stock market listing.
Bellamy declines opportunity to back fixed costs uprating
Justice minister Lord Bellamy has refused to commit to regularly uprating the new or existing fixed recoverable costs by inflation.
SRA wins approval to destroy 765,000 files from shut-down firms
The High Court has given the Solicitors Regulation Authority permission to destroy immediately around 765,000 files it is storing after intervening in law firms in recent years.
LPA reform which ends legal executive anomaly backed by MPs
Legislation to modernise lasting powers of attorney, including allowing chartered legal executives to certify copies, sailed through its latest stage in Parliament this week.
Barrister misled court into removing child from father
A non-practising barrister whose dishonest submissions to a court caused it to order the removal of a small child from her father has been disbarred.
Barrister arrested after climbing tree to stop “unlawful” felling
An activist barrister who climbed a tree to stop it being felled after he gave advice that the action was illegal, was arrested for trespass and banned from climbing any trees in Northamptonshire.
Raab considers “cost shifting” to keep family law cases out of court
The Lord Chancellor has said he is considering “cost shifting or fees” as a means of ensuring that private law family cases are settled by mediation and not in court.
ChatGPT fails solicitor’s conveyancing test
AI chatbot ChatGPT has a “long way to go” before it replaces conveyancers, according to the head of property at a regional law firm who quizzed it about first-time buyers.
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.
