Latest news
SRA rejects Law Society call to levy profession for SIF funds
The Solicitors Regulation Authority has resisted pressure from the Law Society to impose a levy on the profession “as soon as possible” to raise funds for the Solicitors Indemnity Fund.
Disciplinary tribunal condemns Blavo’s “industrial” dishonesty
The dishonesty of John Blavo, whose legal aid firm made £22m of fraudulent claims on public funds, was “committed on an industrial scale”, a tribunal has said.
Solicitor rebuked for multiple rule failures caused in part by Covid
A solicitor who admitted to a “serious breach” of the accounts rules – in part due to the impact of Covid – has escaped with a rebuke from the Solicitors Regulation Authority.
Exclusive: Lawfront eyes five more acquisitions to build £100m group
Private equity firm Blixt Group is looking at up to five more acquisitions to reach its target of building a £100m national legal services business, its chief executive has revealed.
Profession paying “lip service” to diversity, LSB told
The legal profession pays only “lip service” to diversity and “there is a lack of action or appetite to pursue meaningful change”, a report for the Legal Services Board has suggested.
Newspaper pays top KC “substantial damages” for libel
The Times has apologised to a leading KC and paid her “substantial damages” for alleging that she had wrongly used the cab-rank rule to justify acting in a controversial Cayman Islands case.
SDT lifts restrictions on solicitor who showed “impressive insight”
The Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal has removed conditions on the practising certificate of a former law firm partner who now works remotely from Italy as a consultant.
City firm was in “intractable conflict of interest” with client
City law firm RPC has been ordered to pay a former client damages of £192,500 after it put itself in an “intractable conflict of interest and duty” during its work for her.
CILEx Regulation urges reform, not replacement by SRA
CILEx Regulation has set out its case to remain the regulator for chartered legal executives, warning that it is prepared to go to court to clarify whether CILEX has the power to change.
Government “awareness programmes” needed to boost LEI
The government should run “awareness programmes” to educate the public about the benefits of legal expenses insurance, the Association of Consumer Support Organisations has argued.
Blog
The profession can play a greater role in improving access to justice
In this, the third blog of my series, I focus on what lawyers in the UK can do to improve access to justice through greater professional stewardship.
Does AI work for conveyancers? We asked those on the front line
What is the view on AI from conveyancers themselves? Based on a Dye & Durham’s roundtable discussion on AI, the answer is: it depends.
Is the legal profession ready for agentic AI?
An AI agent is difficult to supervise. By design, it works in the background. It means a solicitor can be held responsible for work they had no real means to oversee.
Reports
Associates
