Latest news
“Unmistakable lack of diversity” on government barrister panels
Almost 90% of the self-employed barristers on government legal panels are white, a report by the Bar Council has found, urging the government to take action.
SRA fines firm with “failing” anti-money laundering controls
A law firm with a “failing” anti-money laundering control environment, leading to multiple rule breaches, has been fined £2,000 by the Solicitors Regulation Authority.
Progeny looks to increase legal services offering after Scottish MDP move
Multi-disciplinary Progeny Group will continue to boost its legal services through organic growth and acquisition, its chief executive said in the wake of a major move into Scotland.
Top human rights barrister highlights Chinese cyber-attacks on her and others
One of the country’s leading human rights barristers has complained about Twitter accounts and emails purporting to be from her and other defenders that spring up when they criticise China.
SDT grants law firm access to papers to help sue struck-off solicitor
The Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal has granted a law firm access to papers from a recent case to help legal action being taken against the solicitor it struck off.
Licensed conveyancers to face explicit duty to treat customers fairly
An explicit requirement on licensed conveyancers to treat customers fairly has been proposed as part of a new statement of ethical principles by their regulator.
“Credible sanctions”: Bill to remove SRA fining cap for economic crime
Plans to remove the £25,000 cap on fines the Solicitors Regulation Authority can impose in cases of economic crime will enable it to sanction larger law firms properly, the government said.
BSB to test if review and comparison websites work for barristers
Four lawyer review and comparison websites have agreed to join a Bar Standards Board (BSB) pilot on whether they can work for barristers and their consumers.
Truss completes line-up of MoJ ministers, including ex-crime solicitor
A former criminal defence solicitor has been given the task of dealing with criminal legal aid policy at the Ministry of Justice after Prime Minister Liz Truss completed her reshuffle.
SRA bans IT worker convicted of stealing hardware from law firm
An IT engineer with a serious gambling problem who stole 38 iPhones and 10 laptops worth £23,000 from a law firm has been banned from working in the profession.
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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