Latest news
Ex-Law Society president fails in bid to strike out SDT case
David Greene, the former president of the Law Society, has failed in his attempt to halt a private prosecution of him at the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal, although its scope has been narrowed.
“Vested interests” of solicitors holding back ADR, government told
Solicitors’ “vested interests in pursuing lengthy litigation” are holding back the take-up of ADR, the government has been told. Their “adversarial language” was also viewed as aggravating tensions.
Peers call for national body to regulate use of AI in justice system
Peers have called for the creation of a new national body to regulate the use of artificial intelligence in the justice system and elsewhere in the public sector.
GPs attack “bullying” solicitors over Covid exemption letters
The British Medical Association has accused solicitors of bullying GPs by threatening legal action if the doctor does not provide a Covid vaccination exemption for their client.
The Sun backs down as it settles immigration solicitor’s libel claim
The Sun has settled a defamation claim brought by an immigration solicitor it accused of “shamelessly touting” a price list of legal aid fees for migrants arriving in small boats.
Council lawyer lied about husband’s company to get invoices paid
An in-house solicitor at Corby Borough Council who lied about giving work to her husband’s company in a bid to have two invoices paid has been struck off.
National Accident Helpline’s law firm takes greater share of cases
More than a quarter of cases brought in by National Accident Helpline are now directed to its in-house law firm, the company said today as it hailed a year of “strategic progress”.
Digital ID tools “do not breach legal services regulation”
Solicitors should not view digital identity verification as a second-best option after traditional manual checks, according to a joint statement by LawtechUK and the legal regulators.
Barrister sanctioned for “offensive” Muslim tweet wins appeal
A Bar Standards Board panel applied too low a threshold in sanctioning a barrister for a tweet about Muslims that it said would cause offence, a tribunal has ruled.
Law firm unfairly dismissed assistant solicitor absent due to cancer
A law firm unfairly dismissed an assistant solicitor who was recovering from cancer, an employment tribunal has ruled. It was also found guilty of disability discrimination.
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”.
