Latest news

A family lawyer who failed to record cash payments from clients has agreed to a £2,000 fine by the Solicitors Regulation Authority, while in another regulatory settlement agreement, a former head of private client at a West Midlands law firm agreed to remove herself from the roll following poor file management.

NextLaw Labs, the business accelerator set up by global law firm Dentons, has invested in an IT product which claims to improve the transparency of fees and cement the bond between lawyers and corporate clients. Meanwhile, another of its investments, AI venture Ross, is opening up to more law firms.

The Land Registry can sue a former law firm for negligent misrepresentation in not checking whether a mortgage discharge form was genuine, the High Court has decided. Master Matthews admitted there was no fiduciary relationship between law firm and Land Registry.

The High Court has strongly criticised the Legal Ombudsman as it quashed a decision sanctioning a barrister for pursuing court action against a direct access client for fees – when the client had not complained about it. It also expressed surprise at “the vehemence of the language used by the LO” in its finding.

It’s been a busy few days and here we round up other key news, with updates on unbundling legal services, the Council for Licensed Conveyancers, the value of the legal market, new members of the Legal Services Board, a successful government wills campaign, and extended run-off cover for solicitors.

The Legal Director, a legal consultancy which provides in-house lawyers to businesses on a contract basis, has become the first firm regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority to use the Bar Council’s third-party escrow account, BARCO.

West Midlands firm Talbots – a stalwart of the QualitySolicitors network – has announced that it is leaving the group in May. Chief executive Mary Mocklow said Talbots would compete better as an independent law firm.

Paul Philip, chief executive of the Solicitors Regulation Authority, has announced a rethink on plans to abolish the minimum period of workplace training required by all future solicitors. Meanwhile, the regulator also yesterday launched ‘Law Firm Search’, a new searchable, online database of the law firms it regulates.

Slater & Gordon failed to carry out good enough due diligence checks before buying Quindell’s professional services division this time last year, a partner at the UK’s first listed law firm has suggested. Andrew Evans, partner at Gateley, said S&G paid “far too much”.

The proportion of people selecting their conveyancer on price has fallen to only one in ten, a survey of 5,400 home movers has shown. The same survey found that only three years ago 20% of clients chose the cheapest.