Latest news
Solicitor who told secretaries to fabricate letters is suspended
A criminal law solicitor who admitted telling secretaries to fabricate and backdate letters, attendance notes and other documents to regularise his files has been suspended for nine months.
Firm awarded costs over paralegal’s “dishonest” disability claim
A law firm which faced a disability discrimination claim from a paralegal found to have doctored a document used to bolster his case has been awarded costs.
Law Commission rejects lawyers’ plea to narrow AML reporting
The Law Commission has rejected pleas from the legal profession to narrow the rule that all criminal activity that generates funds or other property is caught by the anti-money laundering regime.
Lord Chief Justice “to have veto” over extension of online courts
The government is set to give the Lord Chief Justice the power of veto over what areas of law are moved into an online court system, it has emerged.
New indemnity insurer offers rewards for well-behaved firms
A new professional indemnity insurer is claiming to be the first to offer well-run law firms “direct financial rewards” – such as a full premium rebate in a firm’s fourth year if it remained claims-free.
Asons creditors owed £28m as liquidators bring claim over sale
The liquidators of Asons are suing its successor practice, alleging that the controversial law firm was sold at an undervalue, it has emerged. Unsecured creditors have so far claimed they are owned some £28m.
Solicitor “used counsel and experts’ fees to prop up firm”
A solicitor who held on to money meant for counsel, experts and others for several years so as to aid his firm’s cash flow has been struck off. He only paid those who chased him for payment.
Firms receiving SRA advice “little better on AML than others”
Nearly half of solicitors’ firms that are part of the regulator’s relationship management regime have been referred to the disciplinary process for anti-money laundering failures, it has been disclosed.
SRA suggests requiring “cooling-off period” before NDAs are signed
Employees should be given a “cooling-off period” before signing non-disclosure agreements, the Solicitors Regulation Authority has suggested.
Judge tells law firm and ex-partner to sort out dispute in arbitration
The High Court has told well-known law firm Schillings and a former partner to sort out their ongoing dispute over his departure through arbitration.
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.
