Latest news
Mediation platform offers warring parties £25 chatbot service
A joint venture between a well-established UK mediation firm and a US-based online dispute resolution provider is offering individuals and SMEs a chatbot-based service for only £25 each.
Solicitor diverted client’s damages to company linked to his wife
A solicitor who diverted some of his client’s damages to a rehabilitation company connected to his wife – and created fake invoices that said it had treated the client – has been struck off.
Discrimination still prevalent in profession, say women lawyers
Most women in law (88%) believe sex discrimination is still prevalent in the profession, with 63% saying they had personally experienced it in the last five years.
“Whistleblowing” paralegal not unfairly dismissed by immigration firm
An employment tribunal has rejected claims from a paralegal that she was unfairly dismissed by her immigration firm for whistleblowing about client-care letters not being sent out.
‘Work hard, play hard’ solicitor suspended for groping colleagues
A male solicitor caught up in a ‘work hard, play hard’ culture at the London office of a US law firm has been suspended for a year for two instances of sexually touching female colleagues.
Law firm awarded £4.2m over PPI claims lost by JV partner
A law firm specialising in PPI claims has been awarded £4.2m in damages for thousands of cases that failed because of its joint venture partner.
Call for action to help small law firms adopt technology
Tech adoption by small law firms is being held back by cost, uncertainty and a reluctance to invest in systems that quickly become outdated or non-compliant, according to SRA research.
Law Society warns SRA to avoid “knee-jerk responses” on ethics
The Law Society has advised the Solicitors Regulation Authority against “knee-jerk responses” in attempting to tackle the issue of ethical standards in the profession.
Axiom Ince now set to cost solicitors £41m
The collapse of Axiom Ince is now set to cost the solicitors’ profession £41m in payouts from the SRA Compensation Fund, it has emerged.
Number of fines issued by SRA more than doubles in a year
The Solicitors Regulation Authority issued 173 fines to law firms and individuals in its last financial year, more than twice the number of the previous year.
Blog
Not everything can be a competition issue – a new dawn for consumer redress
Last month, the Law Commission launched a new project to “consider the potential introduction of a consumer class actions regime” in England and Wales.
Modern search is about ‘knowledge’ retrieval
Search has long been understood as data retrieval – the ability to call back information and check a box on finding something. Legal professionals today need more of a 360-degree view on a matter.
Lessons from Sir Keir Starmer for SRA chief
The proposed 29%, or £25m, increase in the Solicitors Regulation Authority’s budget announced last week should really come as no great surprise.
