Latest news
FCA toughens up new claims management company ‘phoenixing’ ban
The Financial Conduct Authority is going ahead with a tougher version of a ban on ‘phoenixing’ by financial services claims management companies, which will come into force next month.
Entrepreneurs group takes minority stake in boutique law firm
A tech entrepreneurs’ forum set up by the co-founder of lastminute.com has taken a significant minority stake in a law firm that specialises in acting for fintech clients.
Mishcon puts float on ice as staff at listed firms enjoy share rewards
London law firm Mishcon de Reya has put its plans to float on the stock market on hold for the “foreseeable future”, it announced yesterday.
Online rule committee will be catalyst for digital justice, says Birss
The work of the new Online Procedure Rules Committee will help connect the whiplash portal and other pre-action regimes to the court system electronically, the deputy head of civil justice has said.
CAT prefers opt-in to opt-out in choosing truck cartel claimant
The Competition Appeal Tribunal yesterday chose an opt-in collective action over an opt-out to pursue a multi-billion pound claim over a cartel that controlled the cost of trucks over 14 years.
MPs warn of “politicisation” of Supreme Court
The “high number of instances” in which the Supreme Court has reversed its position on the law has created “the troubling appearance” of the politicisation of the judiciary”, MPs have warned.
Oversight regulator “very concerned” about ethics of commercial lawyers
The LSB has expressed “very significant concerns” about the professional ethics of in-house and commercial lawyers in the wake of a series of incidents which raised “difficult ethical questions”.
QC suspended over failure to disclose key evidence to defence
A very senior criminal law QC has been suspended for a year over a decision not to disclose surveillance evidence which ultimately led to a conviction being overturned on appeal.
Conveyancing boom brings hundreds of firms back into market
Conveyancers enjoyed their busiest year on record in 2021/22 – and hundreds of law firms came back into the market – with the average practice seeing a 60% rise in transactions.
Complaints about SRA rise on back of major law firm closure
The Solicitors Regulation Authority has been hit by a wave of complaints relating to its closure of law firm consolidator Kingly Solicitors in the summer of 2020.
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”.
