Latest news
SRA keeps SIF open in face of hardening insurance market
A hardening indemnity insurance market and pressure from the Law Society have persuaded the Solicitors Regulation Authority to keep the Solicitors Indemnity Fund open for a further year.
Call to curb return to practice of barristers suspended for sexual misconduct
Barristers suspended for sexual misconduct should face conditions when they return to practice, such as bans from taking pupils or being featured in legal directories.
Chambers changes name over Lord Hardwicke’s links to slavery
Well-known Lincoln’s Inn set Hardwicke Chambers is to change its name to Gatehouse Chambers in recognition of the role of Lord Hardwicke in perpetuating slavery in the 18th century.
Life management business takes holistic approach to divorce and bereavement
A “boutique life management service” is aiming to reduce the stress of divorce and bereavement by providing a holistic service including legal and financial advice.
Pupil victim of sexual assault by barrister “let down by system”
A female victim of sexual assault by a male barrister has spoken about how she was let down by her chambers, the Bar Standards Board and the Bar Tribunals and Adjudication Service.
Top firms “need to get clients paying faster” to prepare for next crisis
The top 50 law firms had nearly £6bn of unpaid client invoices on their balance sheets last year and would be better prepared for another crisis like Covid if they reduced this, an analysis has argued.
Google’s Black Founders Fund backs UK lawtech start-up
A contract drafting and review business founded by former Freshfields associates is one of 30 companies to receive funding from the Google for Startups inaugural European Black Founders Fund.
Susskind: “Trainees will learn like astronauts – with virtual reality”
Trainee lawyers in future may do their legal training by using immersive virtual reality software simulating the practice environment, like astronauts preparing for space, Professor Richard Susskind has predicted.
Law firm mergers “not a time for consensus”
Mergers of law firms are “not a time for consensus because decisions must be made” and the fact partners may have to cede control “must be debated and not hidden”, a report has warned.
Dentons secures private equity backing for global advisory business
The world’s largest law firm, Dentons, has launched a standalone advisory firm backed by private equity with the aim of building a vast multidisciplinary offering across the globe.
Blog
Reorientation in the AI era must begin with the client
Much of the discussion about AI in the legal industry focuses on technology: which tools to adopt and which tasks might get automated. But this misses the deeper story.
Awaab’s Law phase 2: New hazards council tenants can now claim for
The conversation on housing disrepair is moving beyond damp and mould alone. With the rollout of phase 2 of Awaab’s Law, the scope of issues covered is expanding significantly,
Beyond PCP: Can regulators and lawyers work better together next time?
Nearly a decade after the Financial Conduct Authority began investigating the car finance industry, the story of the PCP commission scandal is still unfinished.
