Latest news
Legal 500 entries, eBay and air miles – bans for City law firm staff
A senior business development executive who misled her law firm employer that its Legal 500 submissions had been made is among bans from the profession issued to City firm staff.
First two OIC mixed injuries cases head to Court of Appeal
Two cases on mixed claims in the Official Injury Claim portal – those involving both whiplash and non-whiplash injuries – have been leapfrogged to the Court of Appeal.
£1.8m funding boost for platform that helps solicitors go freelance
A consumer law platform that aims to help solicitors “transition” to freelance practice, as well as supporting small law firms, has raised £1.8m in seed funding.
Time for government to mandate reform of home-buying process
The government needs to step in to mandate reforms that promise to revolutionise the home buying and selling process, while conveyancing fees have risen, a roundtable has heard.
Grand National fraudster struck off as a solicitor
A solicitor convicted of seven counts of fraud, involving goods worth £10,600 – including fireworks and tickets for the Grand National – has been struck off.
SRA earmarks £550,000 for one-off cost-of-living payment to staff
The Solicitors Regulation Authority has put aside up to £550,000 to give staff a one-off pay boost to help with the cost-of-living crisis, it has emerged.
Unregulated in-house specialist partners with magic circle firm
Unregulated legal business The Law Boutique has teamed up with a magic circle law firm Linklaters and its own contract management platform to provide companies with an “holistic” service.
SRA struggling to keep hold of anti-money laundering staff
The Solicitors Regulation Authority is facing “challenges” in retaining staff in its anti-money laundering team, in part because it cannot compete with private sector salaries.
More than half of conveyancing firms lack “digital maturity”
More than half of conveyancing firms (57%) lack “digital maturity”, a report has found, with one in five firms (22%) not accepting electronic signatures.
Incorrect precedent led to wrong ground rent advice for 115 clients
A solicitor who gave 115 clients the wrong advice about the ground rent provisions in the leases of properties they were buying – because of an incorrect precedent – has been fined £15,000.
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.
Reports
Associates
