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A firm of accountants based in rural East Anglia has become an alternative business structure regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority. Churchgate Accountants said the move was in response to demand from clients, including farmers.

Jonathan Smithers, president of the Law Society, has described chief executive Catherine Dixon as “fully committed” to ensuring that medical negligence lawyers are “fairly rewarded” under any new fee regime imposed by the government, despite her previous role on the other side of the fence.

The Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal has taken the highly unusual step of striking out for abuse of process the prosecution of five solicitors, after finding that the actions of the Solicitors Regulation Authority had made it impossible for them to have a fair trial.

An online poll of 900 solicitors by the Law Society has revealed that 15% failed to do 16 hours of continuing professional development (CPD) last year – the minimum required. The poll found that 17% had already moved to the new hours-free ‘continuing competence’ regime.

A former president of Bolton Law Society, described by the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal as a “fundamentally decent man”, made 61 improper transfers from client account and used a personal credit card to keep his firm afloat. He is now working as a paralegal for the deputy vice-president of the national Law Society.

Plans by the Bar Standards Board to scrap its ‘list of defaulting solicitors’ have been approved by the Legal Services Board. Richard Moriarty, chief executive of the LSB, said the list could undermine the independence of the BSB.

A solicitor who absconded the day after the Solicitors Regulation Authority began investigating his firm has been struck off in his absence for overbilling and for taking money from client accounts. One of his partners said his behaviour changed once the investigation started.

A ‘professional’ McKenzie Friend who targeted people unable to claim legal aid and then defrauded them of thousands of pounds has been jailed for three years. He offered cheap legal services to people involved in cases involving their children or grandchildren.

The vast majority of solicitors who responded to a Law Society survey on the practising certificate fee said they thought it did not represent value for money. Many said the Law Society should get a bigger share and the Solicitors Regulation Authority a smaller one.

The Law Society has been told by its freedom of information adjudicator to disclose letters and reports involving the Solicitors Regulation Authority and the charity run by Alan Blacker, the solicitor also known as Lord Harley, Legal Futures understands.