Latest news
Estate agents boss tells conveyancers to charge more
Conveyancers should charge more – or not pay referral fees – so they can reduce their workload and improve transaction times, the head of an estate agents body has argued.
Solicitor struck off after tribunal refuses to go behind US plea deal
A solicitor convicted in the US of conspiracy to commit securities fraud has been struck off after a tribunal refused his attempt to explain why he signed a plea deal.
Law firms looking to be bought “do not have the value they think”
Many law firms looking to be bought do not have the value they like to think they have, while multiples used to set the price are beginning to fall, leading advisers have warned.
Solicitor struck off for misusing client money and unauthorised practice
A veteran solicitor who used client money to alleviate his firm’s financial problems and also misled his insurer that he was authorised to practise when he no longer was, has been struck off.
Barrister who misused gift aid overpayment from charity disbarred
A barrister convicted of dishonestly retaining a mistaken £240,000 overpayment of gift aid to his charity has now been disbarred as well.
Shiner faces two-year wait for trial on cold-calling fraud charges
Disgraced human rights lawyer Phil Shiner will have to wait nearly two years for his trial on four allegations of fraud, the Crown Court said on Friday.
MoJ delays fixed costs extension again as CJC consults on Belsner impact
The government has delayed the extension of fixed recoverable costs for most money cases worth up to £100,000 by a further six months to October 2023.
Consumers “don’t care whether legal businesses are regulated”
Consumers of divorce and separation services “don’t care whether a business is regulated”, the co-founder of pioneering service amicable said this week.
“Old school” solicitor used £500,000 of client money to prop up firm
An “old school” solicitor in his late 70s who overcharged three estates and a trust by nearly £500,000 to provide cash flow for his firm has been struck off.
Solicitors to foot £1.2m bill for relocating disciplinary tribunal
Solicitors are to pay an extra £1.2m towards the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal in 2023 after its existing landlord pulled the offer of a new lease, meaning it will have to relocate.
Blog
Why is Andrew Malkinson still paying for a crime he didn’t commit?
Like many in my profession and beyond, I have been moved by the case of Andrew Malkinson, the man who spent 17 years in prison for an awful crime he did not commit.
What is tech bloat and why is it a problem for law firms?
Too many law firms are adopting shiny new tech without first retiring their legacy systems, causing duplication and unnecessary costs.
The civil courts and the digital divide
Despite the government’s decision to increase Ministry of Justice funding, its budget for 2025-26 is still 14% lower in real terms than in 2007-08.
