Latest news
“Tide is turning” as county court delays continue to fall
Delays in the county courts are finally on the decline but they still comfortably exceed a year for anything but the small claims track, according to new figures.
Lammy launches English Law Promotion Panel
The government has gathered a group of leading figures in the law and business into the English Law Promotion Panel with the aim of “future-proofing” the UK legal sector.
SRA will take “sympathetic” approach to pre-Mazur breaches
The SRA will respond “sympathetically” to self-reports from those who may have been operating incorrectly under the terms of the Mazur ruling.
Law firm with 24 offices ready to expand beyond Yorkshire
The managing partner of a fast-growing, employee-owned Yorkshire law firm says it is ready to expand outside the county after opening a 24th office.
MoJ floats referral fee ban to curb housing disrepair misconduct
A ban on referral fees and an increase in the small claims limit are among ideas floated yesterday by the government to curb “unscrupulous” behaviour in housing disrepair cases.
Conditions removed from work of solicitor suspended over drugs
A City solicitor suspended for a year after a second police caution for possessing cocaine has had conditions on his return to practice removed.
Estate agency praised for dropping referral fee demands
An estate agency has been praised for publicly disavowing future demands for referral fees, describing them as “the quiet scandal” in the industry.
Ex-law firm owner sentenced to 12 months in jail for contempt
The non-lawyer owner of a defunct law firm has been sentenced to 12 months’ imprisonment for contempt after she failed to comply with a freezing order obtained by its previous owners.
Solicitor fined for failing to spot money laundering red flags
A solicitor who failed to spot red flags for potential fraud/money laundering while acting on two loans worth £464,000 has been fined £15,000.
Judicial mediation becoming a “safety net” for parties
A High Court master has explained how judicial mediation was able to resolve a dispute, where one of the sides was unable to afford a private mediation.
Blog
Modern search is about ‘knowledge’ retrieval
Search has long been understood as data retrieval – the ability to call back information and check a box on finding something. Legal professionals today need more of a 360-degree view on a matter.
Lessons from Sir Keir Starmer for SRA chief
The proposed 29%, or £25m, increase in the Solicitors Regulation Authority’s budget announced last week should really come as no great surprise.
The hidden risks in client account reconciliations
The client account reconciliation process will be second nature to most people in legal finance – and so is also a potential area for a problem to be undetected until it becomes serious.
