Latest news
Solicitors bullish about future but doubtful about clients’ prospects
Solicitors are generally bullish about the future, despite nearly one in four believing Covid-19 will harm their clients’ prospects and many predicting lower demand for legal services.
Solicitor rebuked for settlement agreement demand
A solicitor has been rebuked for trying to include a ban on her former employer referring her to any regulatory authority as part of a settlement of disputes between the two.
Now MP targets Herbert Smith over Post Office work
An MP has urged select committees to investigate the role of law firms – and in particular Herbert Smith Freehills – in helping client companies accused of wrongdoing set up compensation schemes.
Advocacy shake-up to hit trainees but not youth courts
The Solicitors Regulation Authority is to end the practice of allowing trainee solicitors to obtain higher rights of audience but has reversed course on its proposed approach to advocacy in the youth courts.
SRA to cut Compensation Fund payout limit to £500k
The Solicitors Regulation Authority has decided to implement its controversial plan to cut the maximum award from its Compensation Fund from £2m to £500,000.
Land Registry embraces ‘witnessed electronic signatures’
The last strict requirement to print and sign a paper document in a property transaction was removed today as HM Land Registry began accepting ‘witnessed electronic signatures’.
Circuit poll: Barristers set to quit if court hours are extended
Some 55% barristers would consider leaving the Bar if the courts adopt extended operating hours and they could set back female barristers’ progress by 50 years, research has found.
High Court judge’s private comments caught on Zoom
A High Court judge caught making critical comments of a mother in a care case because her laptop had not been disconnected from Zoom should have recused herself, the Court of Appeal has ruled.
MoJ to allow and backdate remote will witnessing
The government is to legalise the remote witnessing of wills for two years, backdating the change to 31 January this year to reassure those who have already done it during the pandemic.
“Sharing the wealth” – Firm donates all profits to charity
Corporate law firm Aria Grace Law has pledged to give all of its profits to charity and other good causes forever as part of a commitment to “share the wealth between clients, lawyers and society”.
Blog
Mazur: a symptom not a cause?
If Mazur is a symptom, what does it mean for the underlying health of our civil justice system: the ‘finest legal system in the world’?
Cross-generation collaboration: the key to in-house legal tech adoption
In-house legal function leaders will increasingly have to evolve their thinking on how to manage multigenerational teams containing differing levels of technological expertise.
AI and law firm risk – the view of professional indemnity insurers
In considering law firm applications for cover, many insurers will expect to see evidence of how firms are adapting to AI and preparing for the future.
