Latest news


High Court rejects challenge to SRA intervention into City law firm

1 August 2017

A City law firm shut down by the Solicitors Regulation Authority last month after its conduct had been referred to the regulator by the Court of Appeal has lost its bid to overturn the intervention. Mr Justice Newey said the risks of withdrawing the intervention into Neumans outweighed those of continuing it.


Judge attempts to calm lawyers’ anger over extended court hours

1 August 2017

The resident judge at Blackfriars Crown Court, one of the six courts due to take part in a Ministry of Justice pilot on extended court hours, has attempted to calm lawyers’ anger over the move. Judge Hillen said the impact on those with caring responsibilities would be specifically monitored.


Immigration lawyer who misled court suspended indefinitely

1 August 2017

A solicitor who misled the court over the ‘student’ status of a client has been suspended indefinitely by the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal. The tribunal heard that the client told Mansoor Ali that he had been “paying money to agents” to get certificates from universities, with the aim of getting indefinite leave to remain in the UK.


Jackson lays out plan for fixed costs with warning that it’s not his job to protect profession

31 July 2017

Lord Justice Jackson has today put forward his vision for extending fixed recoverable costs (FRC), but warned that it was not his job to protect the junior Bar or any other part of the profession in doing so. Having initially talked about introducing FRCs for all cases worth up to £250,000, Sir Rupert said today that he has not gone that far because of improvements made in costs management.


Solicitor rebuked for taking instructions from client’s daughter

31 July 2017

A conveyancing solicitor has been rebuked and fined £2,000 after he dealt entirely with the daughter of the owner of a property in whose sale he acted, only for it later to emerge the seller had a lasting power of attorney in place that named his son as his attorney.


Law Society condemns SRA plans for solicitor-free workplace training

31 July 2017

The Law Society has condemned the Solicitors Regulation Authority over plans to allow workplace training for solicitors to take place in organisations without any solicitors. The society warned that the proposals could “seriously undermine” high standards.


Buyers have themselves to blame, not solicitors, over leaseholds, say conveyancers

31 July 2017

Conveyancers have hit back at suggestions they should have prevented the scandal of new homes being sold as leasehold properties with rapidly escalating ground rents, which the government announced plans to ban last week.


Kennedys creates new route to partnership for employees with ideas

28 July 2017

City law firm Kennedys has launched what could become a new route to partnership for members of staff who can dream up ideas for tech products to help clients. Prototypes from the Ideas Lab will be developed in India, before returning home for completion.


Partner struck off after settling PI claim for £5,000 then paying client £60,000 in fictitious damages

28 July 2017

A partner has been struck off for dishonestly settling a personal injury claim for £5,000 without instructions, telling the client it had settled for £60,000, and then paying out the fictitious damages from unrelated client accounts.


“No reason” for sharp rise in interventions, SRA says

28 July 2017

The Solicitors Regulation Authority has said it cannot explain why the number of interventions into law firms in the first five months of 2017 was twice the figure for the same period last year. The regulator said there was also a “noticeable increase” in the size of firm.

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