Latest news
Briggs presses ahead with Online Court and challenges profession to get to grips with unbundling
Lord Justice Briggs published his final report on the structure of the civil courts and retained his strong support for the creation of an online court for claims worth up to £25,000, although he has shifted position to say that parties should be able to recover a limited amount of legal costs.
Solicitors will not countenance ‘self-dealing’ but are less bothered by those who bring weak cases
Solicitors view “self-dealing” – acting in their own, rather than the client’s, interests – money laundering, bribery and falsifying a CV as the most serious rule breaches, and bringing weak cases and mismanagement problems as the least, a major report has found.
Reprimand for barrister who encouraged client to seek out damaging information about fellow counsel
A barrister who encouraged a client to search online for damaging information about another member of the Bar, and then told her to deny that he had done so, has been reprimanded by a Bar disciplinary tribunal. It is the second reprimand from a tribunal for the barrister in eight months.
Firms sign up to online service that aims to match would-be clients to individual specialists
Several well-known law firms have signed up to Oratto, the latest ‘find a lawyer’ website to hit the market, including Manchester firms JMW, Berg and Pannone Corporate, Liverpool’s Jackson Canter, Sheffield-based Simpson Sissons & Brooke, and Peterborough-based Buckles.
Personal injury CMCs see income tumble by 30%
The turnover of personal injury claims management companies (CMCs) tumbled by 30% in the past year, it was reported today. The figures also showed that the number of CMCs in the PI market has fallen by nearly two-thirds since the referral fee ban was introduced in 2013.
Three solicitors struck off for misusing £3m borrowed from collapsed Axiom fund
Three solicitors who borrowed more than £3m from the now collapsed Axiom Legal Financing Fund have been struck off for using the money to fund their practice, which was not the stated purpose of the loan. They are the latest, but not the last, to face disciplinary action in the wake of the Axiom’s failure.
SRA makes access to justice shortfall a priority area for action
The Solicitors Regulation Authority has for the first time made lack of access to legal services one of its priority areas of work. “Only a third of people with a legal problem seek professional advice. And only one in 10 will take advice from a solicitor or barrister,” it said.
Groundbreaking barrister sees race bias claim against BSB thrown out
A barrister who claimed she was the victim of racial discrimination by the Bar Standards Board has lost her appeal against a ruling that her case was brought out of time. Portia O’Connor, who is black, was the first barrister to become a partner in a legal disciplinary partnership.
High Court rejects solicitor’s bid to remove conditions on practising certificate
The High Court has rejected a solicitor’s bid to overturn conditions placed on his practising certificate by the Solicitors Regulation Authority – but also criticised the regulator for the time it has taken to act in the case. The court said there was “a very real risk” that the solicitor had allowed his client account to be used as a bank account.
Making lawyers publish “average” prices will energise consumers, says panel
The Legal Services Consumer Panel said last week that it was “not blind to the challenges of increased price transparency”, but insisted that making lawyers publish “average” prices could be the catalyst for making consumers ask more questions about cost.
Blog
The SRA’s client money reforms: good intentions, questionable execution
On the face of it, the SRA’s plans to tighten protections around client money sounds sensible. The detail, as ever, tells a more complicated story.
Recruitment, retention and reward in the legal accounts world
Understanding the legal finance market is important – not just for those actively involved in it day-to-day but also for leaders within law firms.
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.
