Latest news
Ex-solicitor labelled “disgrace to profession” refused return to practice
A former solicitor, labelled a “dishonest crook, swindler and cheat” by a Crown Court judge 14 years ago after being convicted of assisting illegal immigration, will not be returning to practice.
Shortage of solicitors a “real risk” to Northern Ireland
There is a “real risk” to legal services in Northern Ireland from a shortage of solicitors, both in terms of legal aid provision and the ability of commercial firms to grow.
Solicitor’s overcharging warning to firm was a protected disclosure
A solicitor’s warnings to his law firm that it was overcharging a client were protected disclosures under employment law, a tribunal has ruled.
UK law firms banned from handling transactional work for Russians
UK law firms will be unable to provide “transactional legal advisory services” to Russians after the government ratcheted up the sanctions regime yet further.
Panicked solicitor under-settled claim and misled client
A solicitor panicked after realising she had missed a court deadline and under-settled her client’s personal injury claim before leading them on for more than four years about its progress.
Revenue, profit and staff numbers up at Co-op Legal Services
Co-operative Legal Services saw turnover rise 11% to £22m in the first half of 2022, its 10th year as an ABS, as it works towards more than doubling its income in the coming years.
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.
Blog
The AI governance gap in law firms and why it matters now
A third of law firms are already using AI tools with no formal policy in place to govern how AI gets used, what data goes into it, or who’s accountable when something goes wrong.
Information isn’t oversight – lessons from the PM Law review
The PM Law review’s real findings perhaps point to a failure mode applying to any organisation sitting on scattered risk information.
AI can do the work but it cannot inherit the lawyer’s duty
What happens when lawyers delegate cognitive work to AI but remain personally responsible for judgements they may no longer have independently reasoned through?
Reports
Associates
