Latest news
BSB and Bar Council warn about risks of online barrister reviews
The Bar Standards Board has warned consumers about the risks of choosing a barrister based on online reviews.
Which? among eight unregulated businesses granted SRA waivers
Consumer group Which? and a company that helps parents find childcare solutions are among the eight unregulated businesses that have been granted SRA Innovation Space waivers.
Solicitors are now “dairy farmers” of PI market as numbers fall
The number of law firms specialising in personal injury work has fallen by 10% over the past two years, with one practitioner describing solicitors now as the “dairy farmers” of the market due to their declining influence.
Independent barristers “better quality” than other criminal advocates, say judges
The standard of criminal advocacy is “generally competent”, but that of solicitor-advocates and in-house barristers is inferior to the self-employed Bar, research among judges has found.
Slater & Gordon sanctioned for both sides of Quindell due diligence
Slater & Gordon has been rebuked and handed a record fine of £80,000 for an alternative business structure for inspecting confidential client data during the Quindell deal.
Solicitor who fabricated letter in “panic” avoids strike-off
A solicitor has been suspended from practice despite admitting to dishonestly fabricating a backdated letter to persuade the Solicitors Regulation Authority that she had sent it the previous year.
“AI not delivering for poorest” says technology reality check
Artificial intelligence, chatbots and hackathons may be developments that have great potential or are delivering exciting commercial applications, but they are doing rather less at present for access to justice.
Court asks Attorney General to end solicitor’s vexatious litigation
The Attorney General is to be asked to put a permanent stop to years of vexatious litigation pursued by a struck-off solicitor against the Law Society, Bar Council, senior judges and many others.
Strong results for Gordon Dadds as listed firm plots international growth
Gordon Dadds Group, the law firm acquisition vehicle, has unveiled strong results for its first year as a listed company and announced its first international expansion, into Hong Kong.
Labour pledges small claims limit fight as Civil Liability Bill moves to Commons
The Civil Liability Bill completed its passage through the House of Lords yesterday with Labour saying that it would continue to oppose increases in the small claims limit for personal injury cases.
Blog
Client accounts: Opportunity, obligation and the risks in between
The profitability gap between well-run firms and the rest is not primarily a function of size, location or practice area – it is a function of financial management.
Motor finance – the FCA is more worried about banks than consumers
The Financial Conduct Authority’s motor finance redress scheme announced last week amounts to one of the largest ever consumer failures by the regulator.
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’?
