Latest news
Canadian law society allows listed DWF to overcome ban on buying firm
Listed practice DWF has bought a law firm in Vancouver, Canada for £28m, a deal only allowed by its local law society with conditions that ensure local lawyers retain control.
ET throws out claim against law firm over “deliberate attempt to mislead”
An employment tribunal claim against national law firm Shoosmiths has been thrown out because of the claimant’s “deliberate attempt to mislead” the bench about his alleged disability.
Client losses from cyber-attacks on law firms continue to fall
Law firms appear to be warding off cyber-attacks more successfully, with client losses falling to £700,000 in the first 10 months of this year, the Solicitors Regulation Authority has revealed.
Personal injury solicitor awarded £32,000 for unfair dismissal
A personal injury solicitor who was transferred to a new law firm without notice or consultation has been awarded just under £32,000 in damages by an employment tribunal.
Dishonest paralegal, drink driving, AML failure – SRA hands out penalties
A paralegal who used case files he had not worked on as part of his application to be an accredited police station representative has been banned, among the latest sanctions handed out by the SRA.
Big firms could cut lawyer numbers as profitability “continues to fall”
The profitability of global law firms has continued to decline against a background of “falling demand and surging expenses”, with jobs and equity partner payouts at risk if the trend continues.
Law firms under “active investigation” for flouting sanctions regime
A small number of law firms are being investigated for either actively or negligently breaching sanctions imposed following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, it emerged yesterday.
SRA on lookout for solicitors “borrowing” from client money to pay bills
The Solicitors Regulation Authority is braced for solicitors looking to borrow from client account to help pay their bills in the face of a worsening economy, its chief executive said yesterday.
Burnett: “I can’t magic up lawyers to help reduce Crown Court backlog”
It will be “very difficult” for the Crown Court to achieve the government’s target of reducing the backlog to 53,000 cases by 2025, the Lord Chief Justice has warned MPs.
Half of expert witnesses would reject “highly contentious” cases
Half of expert witnesses would refuse to act in “highly contentious” matters, such as those involving transgender issues, a survey has found.
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.
