Latest news
Solicitors fined for misconduct over purchase of law firm
A woman who used a solicitor to buy a law firm while she was still a trainee, and then practised unsupervised, has been fined for misconduct.
Court of Appeal backs strike-out of £68m law firm negligence claim
The Court of Appeal has dismissed a challenge to the striking out of £68m negligence claim against Yorkshire law firm Lupton Fawcett following a failed property development schemes.
Majority of conveyancers do not want binding sale contracts
Seven out of 10 conveyancing solicitors do not want the government to introduce mandatory binding contracts for offers to buy homes, research has found.
Government will put firms “at risk” with client account interest grab
The government’s proposed raid on client account interest “will put high street law firms at risk and force legal fees to rise for those that survive”, the Law Society has warned.
Spot-fixing cricketer’s solicitor cleared of urging false defence
A solicitor who acted for a cricketer jailed for spot fixing has been cleared of an allegation that he encouraged his client to offer false evidence in his defence.
‘Double jeopardy’ warning over FCA money laundering switch
The Financial Conduct Authority taking over the supervision of anti-money laundering activity risks delay and double jeopardy, the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal has warned.
Exodus of conveyancers “will make transaction times even longer”
Transaction times will get “longer and longer” regardless of “how many new houses you build” because of the number of conveyancers leaving the market, MPs were told this week.
Ministry of Justice unveils plan to plunder client account interest
The Ministry of Justice has today unveiled plans for an Interest on Lawyers’ Client Account scheme, which would claim 75% of the interest on pooled client accounts to boost its budget.
SRA to pay solicitor £160k over “fatally flawed” prosecution
The Solicitors Regulation Authority has been ordered to pay a solicitor nearly £160,000 in costs after its prosecution of her was ruled “fatally flawed”.
Advertising watchdog targets motor CMCs in latest crackdown
The Advertising Standards Authority has banned misleading adverts aimed at victims of car accidents as part of a new crackdown on claims management companies.
Blog
From ‘year zero’ to £6.5m – how a law firm found its second life
In 2018, I hit what I call ‘year zero’. On paper, Olliers Solicitors was a top-tier criminal defence firm but beneath the surface, I could see we were at a crossroads.
Linklaters’ chief growth officer takes the ‘blank sheet’ challenge
In the third and final part of this series, Lucy Murphy, chief growth officer at magic circle firm Linklaters, outlines her vision for the law firm of the future.
The ‘blank sheet’ challenge, part 2 – what would you do differently?
In the second part of this blog series, Shainul Kassam, managing director of small London firm Fortune Law, sets out how she would set up a law firm now.
