Latest news
PI solicitors who breached referral fee ban tried to blame SRA
Two personal injury lawyers who tried to blame “unhelpful” ethics guidance from the Solicitors Regulation Authority for paying banned referral fees have been fined by a tribunal.
Solicitor convicted of sending woman abusive Facebook messages
A junior solicitor who was convicted after sending a woman he briefly dated a series of abusive Facebook messages has had his sentence reduced but now faces regulatory action too.
Small firm solicitors “highly stressed but enjoying their jobs”
A majority of solicitors at small and medium-sized firms have high stress levels and most believe it is a “major issue” for the profession, a survey has found.
CLC set to back third-party managed accounts
The Council for Licensed Conveyancers is proposing to join the Solicitors Regulation Authority in allowing the lawyers it regulates to use third-party managed accounts.
Law firm “can recoup outlay” from apprentice who quit early
A law firm is entitled to recoup the money it spent training an apprentice who broke an agreement to stay at the firm for a year after completing his course, an employment tribunal has ruled.
Solicitor convicted over cannabis farm suspended from practice
A solicitor has been suspended from practice after being convicted of allowing a small cannabis farm to grow in her house. A tribunal said maintaining the profession’s reputation required it.
Paralegal jailed for swindling money from clients’ estates
A paralegal who stole £70,000 from people’s estates to splash out on designer clothes and handbags has been jailed for more than three years. She posed as beneficiaries of two wills.
Firms “putting profit ahead of lawyers’ mental health”
The cultures of some law firms and other legal workplaces mean that well-being is “often not a concern” while they chase increased profits, researchers have found.
High Court criticises SDT’s “lack of clarity” as it overturns strike-off
A High Court judge has criticised the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal for “lack of clarity of thought” as it replaced a strike-off with a two-year suspension.
Academics and Law Society clash over in-house accountabillity
Leading academics at University College London have clashed with the Law Society over a proposal to exclude heads of legal from the FCA’s new framework for individual accountability.
Blog
Why is Andrew Malkinson still paying for a crime he didn’t commit?
Like many in my profession and beyond, I have been moved by the case of Andrew Malkinson, the man who spent 17 years in prison for an awful crime he did not commit.
What is tech bloat and why is it a problem for law firms?
Too many law firms are adopting shiny new tech without first retiring their legacy systems, causing duplication and unnecessary costs.
The civil courts and the digital divide
Despite the government’s decision to increase Ministry of Justice funding, its budget for 2025-26 is still 14% lower in real terms than in 2007-08.
