Latest news
Government puts back fixed costs extension by six months
The Ministry of Justice has put back by six months to April 2023 the extension of fixed recoverable costs across the fast-track and in most money cases worth up to £100,000.
Appeal court deprecates “act of deliberate concealment” by party
Civil litigation should be conducted “with cards on the table – face up” and the courts should not “sanction an act of deliberate concealment” by one of the parties, appeal judges have ruled.
Judge tells regulators to use summary processes against vexatious litigants
Legal regulators need to have summary processes in place to deal with vexatious litigants who use their procedures to continue a “proxy war” against lawyers, a High Court judge has said.
Solicitor struck off for sexually assaulting friend’s wife
A solicitor has been struck off for sexually assaulting the wife of a “long-term friend” as she slept, after drinking downstairs with her husband who fell asleep.
SRA budget to rise £5.3m this year as cost of living crisis bites
The Solicitors Regulation Authority is set to increase its budget by £5.3m in the coming year, with staff costs and the Solicitors Qualifying Exam the main drivers.
Court of Appeal backs decision to make collective action opt-out
The difficulty of people signing up to a collective action and the availability of third-party funding were legitimate factors to take into account in making it opt-out, the Court of Appeal has ruled.
Solicitor who injected blood into food not guilty due to insanity
A solicitor who injected food with his blood at a series of supermarkets, causing losses of £500,000, has been found not guilty by reason of insanity.
Jail for solicitor who plundered elderly client’s bank account
A solicitor struck off for “outrageous plundering” of the assets of an elderly client suffering from dementia has now been jailed for six years.
No retainer between law firm and businessman in £2.5m dispute
There was no express or implied retainer between a law firm and a businessman with a “colourful commercial career” suing it for £2.5m in damages, the High Court has ruled.
Consumers open to optional top-up cover to reduce cost of PII
Consumers are open to the idea of mandatory professional indemnity insurance cover being lower and therefore cheaper, with the option to top it up, research has suggested.
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.
