Latest news
Law firm closures fall during Covid but support scheme abuses emerge
Law firm closures and interventions have fallen during the pandemic, but it has had negative effects too, such as abuse of government funding schemes, the Solicitors Regulation Authority has revealed.
Solicitors rebuked for frying pan attack and non-disclosure agreement
A solicitor who hit a person around the head with a frying pan, and another who tried to use a settlement agreement to prevent disclosures to HMRC, have been rebuked.
Pandemic has highlighted digital gaps, property lawyers say
Commercial property lawyers believe the pandemic has not only hastened the adoption of new technology but highlighted gaps where it could improve the conveyancing process.
US private equity funds “will buy large UK law firms next year”
A number of large UK commercial law firms will fall into the hands of US private equity investors next year, the founder of Doorway Capital, which owns national firm Simpson Millar, has predicted.
Lawyer faces jail for contempt after failing to hand over files to SRA
A lawyer who failed to comply with court orders to hand over his firm’s files to the Solicitors Regulation Authority is facing possible jail time after being found in contempt.
Law firm fights off wages claim from consultant solicitor
An employment tribunal has rejected claims for unpaid wages and holiday pay from a solicitor who worked as a consultant at a law firm and it decided was not an employee.
Pandemic has hindered lawyers’ careers, survey finds
Half of all legal professionals think that the pandemic has been detrimental to their career, with many now looking for new roles, according to a survey conducted by a Kent law firm.
Regulator presses Simplify to help clients change conveyancer
The Council for Licensed Conveyancers is pressing the Simplify group to reach a position where it can provide its files to clients who wish to change lawyer following the recent cyber-attack.
“Abusive” to bring minor data breach claim in High Court
A master has labelled as “a form of procedural abuse” a bid to bring a data breach claim in the High Court where the “very modest” damages would be dwarfed by costs of £50,000.
Consumer panel and Bar Council at odds over future of aptitude test
The evidence for abolishing the Bar course aptitude test is “compelling” as it has failed to achieve its purpose, the Legal Services Consumer Panel has said.
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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