Latest news
Retainer entitled law firm to £300,000 fee for aborted bond issue
A small central London law firm has been awarded the £300,000 owed under a retainer which the client had claimed was not payable as the transaction it advised on did not go ahead.
Vulnerable clients struggle in face of “cold, clinical and chaotic” lawyers
Vulnerable clients are being disadvantaged by the “cold, clinical and chaotic manner” in which they are treated by some lawyers, a report for the Legal Services Board has found.
Absolute privilege protects pre-action protocol letters
Absolute privilege applies to communications within pre-action protocols and protects them from defamation claims, a deputy High Court master has ruled in the first such decision.
Company supporting children in care sets up law firm
A company providing transport and other services to children in care has set up an ABS to offer them legal services relating to issues involving family law, crime, housing and immigration.
Barrister failed to justify direct access client’s £420,000 bill
A direct access barrister who failed to justify fees for herself and a colleague of £420,000 plus VAT for a divorce hearing has been fined £5,000 by a Bar disciplinary tribunal.
Tribunal rejects claims from LAA solicitor in WhatsApp row
An employment tribunal has rejected claims from a solicitor at the Legal Aid Agency, disciplined after a heated WhatsApp exchange and a threat to share it with the Law Society.
Law firms in court dispute over identical web copy
A Bradford law firm has failed in an application for an order to force a firm in London to reveal who provided it with web copy that was identical to its own.
Barrister suspended for telling jury that judge was talking “rubbish”
A barrister who described a judge’s summary of a witness’s evidence as “absolute rubbish” and asked if the judge was giving evidence has been suspended for four months.
Law firm entitled to fire employee who “lost it” during meeting
A law firm was entitled to summarily dismiss an employee who lost control during an informal meeting with a manager about his behaviour towards other staff, an employment tribunal has ruled.
City law firm “unreasonably” refused offers to mediate negligence claim
City law firm Charles Russell Speechlys acted unreasonably in refusing to mediate a professional negligence claim that it ultimately lost, the High Court has ruled.
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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