Latest news
Top criminal law firm fined £98,000 for cyber-security “negligence”
Leading criminal law firm Tuckers has been fined £98,000 by the Information Commissioner after a ransomware attack that encrypted nearly a million files exploited its “negligent security practices”.
Law firms should register deals affecting national security, says QC peer
The government said yesterday it would consider a barrister peer’s call for law firms to register their work on transactions that cover areas of national security.
8% of judges report facing bullying and/or harassment
Around one in 12 judicial office-holders have experienced bullying and/or harassment in the last 12 months, while 5% reported that they had faced discrimination.
Gender equality: More flexible working, less unconscious bias training
The legal profession is “making progress” towards more equitable gender representation at a senior level, but there is plenty of scope for improvement, new research has found.
Tax QC fights off £40m negligence claim over film financing schemes
The High Court has dismissed a £40m negligence claim against a leading tax barrister over advice he provided on three film financing schemes.
“Reckless” solicitor suspended for misleading £2.9m costs bill
A solicitor who was “reckless” as to whether the court might be misled over a £2.9 costs bill has been suspended for 12 months by the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal.
MPs slate Ministry of Justice over Crown Court backlog and judges
MPs today slated the Ministry of Justice’s “meagre ambition” to reduce the Crown Court case backlog and warned that efforts to recruit judges will ignore the need to improve diversity.
Solicitors and expert’s “serious trangressions” see evidence thrown out
A High Court master has revoked permission for the claimants in a group action to rely on an expert’s evidence because of “serious transgressions” by him and the group’s solicitors.
High Court rejects solicitor’s challenge to SRA intervention
Sophie Khan, the solicitor jailed for defying court orders to hand over files to the Solicitors Regulation Authority, has now lost her challenge to the regulator’s decision to close her firm.
SRA to start spot checks on firms’ Russia sanctions compliance
The Solicitors Regulation Authority is to conduct spot checks on law firms to ensure they are complying with the sanctions imposed on Russian individuals, companies and ships.
Blog
A letter from the SRA? Your first reaction matters
An email from the SRA has a way of rearranging a working day. It arrives in the same inbox as everything else, often in the same measured tone, yet it carries a different weight.
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.
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