Latest news
Barrister fined £4,000 for “conduct of sexual nature” towards pupil
A senior barrister has been fined £4,000 by a Bar disciplinary tribunal for conduct “of sexual nature” towards his female pupil. Meanwhile, another barrister has been rebuked after his clients were absent from court when he knew they had been told to arrive later, but did not tell the court.
Barrister finishes pupillage at personal injury solicitors
In a rare move, a barrister has been allowed to finish her pupillage at a personal injury law firm. Henrietta Hughes is set to become the first in-house counsel at Cheshire and London firm Hilary Meredith Solicitors when her pupillage ends in August.
North-west ABS targets non-legal services as it unveils group structure
North-west personal injury firm Thorneycroft Solicitors has been granted an alternative business structure licence by the Solicitors Regulation Authority as part of a major restructuring of its operations.
CourtNav set for expansion as it wins innovation award
CourtNav, an online tool designed to help litigants in person fill out court forms, could be offered not only by an advice service based at the High Court but by advice agencies around the country, it has emerged. It won the access to justice through IT award at this week’s Legal Aid Lawyer of the Year awards.
Law firm and barrister with top High Court win rates to be named by US analysts
The barrister and law firm with the top High Court win rates in England and Wales will be named later this month, Legal Futures has learned. The names will be included in a report from US analysts Premonition.
Solicitor agrees never to practise again in deal struck with SRA
A solicitor whose firm was shut down last year after failing to effect an orderly wind-down has agreed never to practise again in a deal struck with the Solicitors Regulation Authority. John David Arnott admitted to five charges relating to his practice in Witney, Oxfordshire.
Do you really know your clients? They prefer Corrie to EastEnders
A “typical” legal service user loves Strictly Come Dancing, prefers Coronation Street to EastEnders, regularly browses Facebook and follows Stephen Fry and Jonathan Ross on Twitter. They are also married, in their later years of life, and financially stable – all according to the Legal Ombudsman.
Bodies representing criminal solicitors and barristers at loggerheads while Law Society sits on sidelines
Tensions between the bodies representing criminal law solicitors and barristers reached breaking point yesterday after the Criminal Bar Association was accused of showing a lack of courage and acting unworthily.
SRA to probe solicitor in relationship with client during “shameful” contact battle
A solicitor who is in a relationship with his client while she goes through an acrimonious contact dispute is to be investigated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority, with a High Court judge saying that the lawyer is “in a situation where he cannot give independent professional advice”.
Mr Justice Mostyn: Nobody anticipated “savagery” of legal aid cuts
Mr Justice Mostyn has delivered some of the strongest judicial criticisms yet of the legal aid cuts and warned that “more are in prospect” under a majority Conservative government. His comments, though largely targeted at family law, came on the eve of today’s strike over pay by criminal law solicitors.
Blog
Mazur: a symptom not a cause?
If Mazur is a symptom, what does it mean for the underlying health of our civil justice system: the ‘finest legal system in the world’?
Cross-generation collaboration: the key to in-house legal tech adoption
In-house legal function leaders will increasingly have to evolve their thinking on how to manage multigenerational teams containing differing levels of technological expertise.
AI and law firm risk – the view of professional indemnity insurers
In considering law firm applications for cover, many insurers will expect to see evidence of how firms are adapting to AI and preparing for the future.
