Latest news
Student taken on as consultant solicitor’s secretary was not employee of firm
A law student taken on as a secretary by a male solicitor she met while a dancer at a club was not employed by the law firm where he was a consultant, an employment tribunal has ruled.
Solicitor pioneer of four-day working week extols virtues
The boss of a law firm that was one of the first businesses in the world to adopt a four-day working week has set out how it reduced unplanned absences and staff turnover significantly.
Law Society warns MoJ: We may tell solicitors to leave crime work
The Law Society has warned the government that it will advise solicitors to exit criminal defence practice unless they receive the same pay rise it has offered to barristers.
Solicitor who took Ince public reaches deal to leave business
The solicitor who took what is now the Ince Group public has left the business after reaching a settlement in which he, his father and the firm have waived all claims against each other.
BSB pushes back deadlines for clearing work backlogs
The Bar Standards Board has pushed back the deadlines set for clearing backlogs in its handling of misconduct reports and authorisations.
MoJ rejects call for early review of whiplash tariff
The Ministry of Justice has rejected a call for an early review of the tariff for the Official Injury Claim portal, although personal injury solicitors are continuing to lobby for it.
Lawyers “cannot hide from responsibility” for client actions
Lawyers are not “neutral technicians” and “cannot hide from responsibility for what clients do with the legal advice they provide”, a leading legal academic has warned.
US ABS reform is “spurring innovation”
The introduction of alternative business structures in two US states is “spurring innovation”, the first research into the initiatives has found – but how reform is introduced matters.
Pandemic has created new norm of “constant work” – and more errors
The shift to home working in the pandemic has created a “new norm” in which the “lack of boundaries” has left lawyers facing a “constant cycle of work”, a leading KC has said.
BSB plans “statement of good practice” for chambers
The Bar Standards Board is planning a “statement of consolidated good practice” for chambers, which sets out how to go “above and beyond” the minimum regulatory requirements.
Blog
The growing importance of higher limits in personal ATE
While the personal litigation market is undergoing a period of significant change as claims become more complex, much of the ATE insurance market has remained relatively static.
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.
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