Latest news
Defendant DBAs are unlawful, Court of Appeal rules
An agreement that a defendant will pay their solicitors a percentage of any sums they successfully resist having to pay the claimant is unlawful and unenforceable, the Court of Appeal has ruled.
Solicitor’s “oversight” saw £68,000 paid to conveyancing fraudster
A law firm owner who fell victim to a conveyancing fraud and transferred £68,000 to a bank account without checking the details has been rebuked by the Solicitors Regulation Authority.
LawtechUK launches ‘regulatory pathfinding’ programme
A ‘regulatory pathfinding’ programme to help more lawtech companies “navigate the regulatory environment” has been launched by Lawtech UK.
Scottish firm targets major expansion after first English acquisition
An ambitious Scottish law firm has made its first move south of the border by acquiring a large conveyancing business as it looks to rapidly build a full-service offering in England.
Frenkel Topping raises £10m to boost injury market consolidation
Frenkel Topping – the listed business building a full-service offering to personal injury and clinical negligence claimants short of actual legal advice – is raising £10m to fund further acquisitions.
New litigation funder targets “niche within a niche”
A litigation funder launched this week with £25m backing from a US private equity firm is targeting what a “niche within a niche” – cases worth up to £1m in the Midlands and the North.
Barrister settles whistleblower claim against Foreign Office for £423k
A barrister who raised concerns of serious corruption while working for the Foreign Office in Kosovo has settled her employment tribunal claim for £423,000.
Firm ordered to pay wasted costs over lack of authority to act
A law firm has been ordered to pay wasted costs of £7,920 for not satisfying itself that the director of a company in deadlock with the other director had the authority to give it instructions.
Firm cleared of disability discrimination against senior support manager
A senior manager at law firm Berrymans Lace Mawer has failed in a claim that her stress, anxiety and depression constituted a disability.
Litigant in person can sue law centre and barrister for negligence
A litigant in person is not statute-barred from suing a law centre and barrister for professional negligence, a High Court master has ruled.
Blog
The SRA needs to admit it got it wrong about SLAPPs
The High Court judgment in Ashley Hurst v SRA in January raises serious questions about the regulator’s approach to allegations of SLAPP-like behaviour.
Why menopause support belongs on every law firm’s agenda
Progression in the law slows significantly as women approach senior leadership. Most will be at the height of their careers around the average age menopause symptoms begin.
Law firms need to go beyond document checks
At the root of every failed compliance review is a familiar phrase: a calm assertion of “but we did a document check”.
