Latest news
“Greater firepower”: PI giant bought by private equity
The country’s biggest dedicated personal injury law firm has been bought by private equity, giving it “greater firepower” for acquisitions.
Legal Ombudsman seeks 12% budget rise as complaints mount
The Legal Ombudsman has recommended a £2.4m, or 12.1%, increase in its budget for next year to cope with fast-rising levels of complaints and conduct a radical review of how it operates.
Leading southern law firm launches referral network
Thrings, a law firm with offices across the South-West and South of England, has become the latest regional practice to launch a referral network for smaller practices.
Junior solicitor struck off for lying in pupillage application
A junior solicitor at a leading City law firm who lied about his academic achievements on a pupillage application when trying to move to the Bar has been struck off.
First legal executive should have new litigation rights in six weeks
The first chartered legal executive with standalone litigation practice rights could be authorised in six weeks’ time, with around 2,300 expected to apply for them in the next 18 months.
Ethics and profits clash “regularly”, say general counsel
Most general counsel at large UK companies have said that ethical and moral concerns “regularly” come into conflict with “profit motivations”.
Test shows ChatGPT still falling short in key areas, says conveyancer
The latest version of ChatGPT provides first-time buyers with better answers than it did two years ago but still falls short in crucial ways, conveyancing solicitors have warned.
A third of law firms non-compliant with AML rules
Nearly a third of law firms checked by the SRA for their approach to anti-money laundering in the past year were non-compliant, a big rise on the previous 12 months.
Male barrister disbarred for sexually harassing woman at social events
A male barrister who sexually harassed the same woman at two different social events has been disbarred by a Bar disciplinary tribunal.
Solicitor who criticised “draconian” strike-off cannot return to roll
The Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal has refused a solicitor’s bid to be restored to the roll just three years after being struck off for dishonesty.
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.
