Latest news
Solicitor fined for failing to pay thousands in counsel’s fees
A solicitor who has failed to pay thousands of pounds in outstanding fees to counsel has been fined by the SRA, with others fined for accounts and transparency rules breaches.
Listed company’s law firm shoots up rankings with £47m turnover
Bond Turner, the personal injury practice owned by listed business Anexo Group, has moved rapidly up the ranks of largest law firms with a 33% increase in turnover to £47m.
Smaller law firms eager to grow as confidence stays high
The proportion of smaller law firms saying that growth by merger or acquisition is more attractive following the pandemic has increased sharply, a report has found.
Commercial Court judges express frustration at parties’ excesses
Two Commercial Court judges have expressed annoyance with parties for taking unnecessary points, with one imposing a costs penalty in line with recent guidance.
Paralegal jailed for stealing £438k from law firm to feed gambling habit
A former paralegal at national law firm BLM has been jailed for three years and three months after pleading guilty to stealing £438,000 from the firm to feed his gambling habit.
Barrister given green light to pursue outstanding fees claim
The High Court has rejected an Italian law firm’s bid to stay a barrister’s claim for outstanding fees because of an action it took against him in its home country.
Identity of person instructing solicitors not covered by privilege
The High Court has rejected a company’s claim to litigation privilege over the identity of who instructed its lawyers, with the judge setting out a two-part test on what was a novel point.
Ex-managing partner misled tribunal in discrimination claim
A former law firm managing partner misled an employment tribunal in the course of pursuing a disability discrimination claim against his ex-partners.
MPs and peers urge bigger fines for lawyers who break AML rules
MPs and peers have called for “a radical overhaul” of anti-money laundering supervision, with regulators of lawyers urged to issue wrongdoers with “bigger, more public” fines.
Firm embraces poetry and drums in bid to stand out from the crowd
A North-East practice has taken the unusual step of turning to poetry and jazz drumming in a bid to stand out from the law firm crowd, with a campaign called ‘Fearlessly Solving’.
Blog
Why is Andrew Malkinson still paying for a crime he didn’t commit?
Like many in my profession and beyond, I have been moved by the case of Andrew Malkinson, the man who spent 17 years in prison for an awful crime he did not commit.
What is tech bloat and why is it a problem for law firms?
Too many law firms are adopting shiny new tech without first retiring their legacy systems, causing duplication and unnecessary costs.
The civil courts and the digital divide
Despite the government’s decision to increase Ministry of Justice funding, its budget for 2025-26 is still 14% lower in real terms than in 2007-08.
