Latest news
Ministry of Justice “reinforced negative race stereotypes” with advert
The Ministry of Justice reinforced “negative stereotypes about black men” in an advertisement for prison officers, the Advertising Standards Authority has ruled.
Knights partner fined after assault and drink-drive convictions
A partner at listed law firm Knights convicted of assault by beating and separately drink driving has been fined £1,700 by the Solicitors Regulation Authority.
Separating couples should “try almost anything” before going to court
Separating couples should “try almost anything” before turning to the courts, the president of the Family Division has said, arguing that there has “got to be a better way” to resolve child disputes in particular.
Ex-solicitor siblings fail in High Court appeal against strike-offs
A sister and brother struck off as solicitors for their role in dubious investment schemes have failed in their appeal to the High Court.
Chambers “do not know money laundering status of barristers”
A significant number of chambers do not know whether their barristers have declared that they are subject to the money laundering regulations, the Bar Standards Board has warned.
MPs call for single portal for public access to courts
HMCTS should develop a single digital portal where the public and media can access “full information on court proceedings, court documents and any other relevant information”, MPs said today.
Workload-sharing app seeks to boost lawyers’ job satisfaction
An app designed to lift pressure on lawyers burdened by heavy workloads, improving wellbeing and reducing expensive recruitment, has arrived in the UK from Scandinavia.
SRA refers firms handling matters worth £149m to crime agency
The Solicitors Regulation Authority made 20 suspicious activity reports to the National Crime Agency in the past year, relating to solicitors handling £149m of potentially criminal funds.
Mothers in law still struggle to juggle despite more supportive employers
The vast majority of mothers (84%) working in the law still find it difficult to balance working life with the demands of being a mother, despite some signs of progress.
Fine for complaints partner who “frustrated” Legal Ombudsman
The complaints partner at a West Midlands law firm who “frustrated the Legal Ombudsman in carrying out its function” by failing to respond to requests, has been fined £4,000.
Blog
Regulate sole practices on evidence, not turnover
For a sole practice, the SRA’s plan that I cannot hold a compliance role if my firm has more than £600,000 of turnover is not a measure of risk. It is a ceiling on growth.
Is Google becoming pay-to-play for law firms?
For years, law firms have been told that SEO is the long-term alternative to paying for every click. That principle hasn’t disappeared but search results have changed significantly.
Material information and the case for intelligent client onboarding
Upfront information means work traditionally undertaken after an offer is accepted will need to happen earlier. And that fundamentally changes the role of client onboarding.
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