Legal Services Board
Powers for Legal Services Board to raid regulators and seize documents under fire
Government plans to give the Legal Services Board powers to raid the premises of frontline regulators and seize documents have been strongly criticised for their lack of safeguards and inadequate protection of legal professional privilege.
Sub-standard legal advice and comparison websites in spotlight after Davies reappointment
Elisabeth Davies was yesterday reappointed as chair of the Legal Services Consumer Panel. The decision to keep Ms Davies in the role will keep the panel’s wide-ranging workplan on track.
Being a solicitor or barrister may soon not be enough: LSB eyes activity based regulation
The Legal Services Board has begun work on moving towards regulating lawyers based on the work they do, rather than on their professional title, Legal Futures can reveal. However, it acknowledged that there will be huge historical and cultural barriers to overcome.
Banks warn LSB off seeking to regulate them for will-writing and estate administration
It is hard to see which of the frontline regulators would regulate banks if will-writing and estate administration become reserved legal activities, the British Bankers Association has said. It also said FSA regulation covered what the Legal Services Board was seeking to do.
SRA and BSB told to improve regulation of immigration lawyers or risk losing their powers
The Solicitors Regulation Authority and Bar Standards Board have been warned to improve the way they regulate immigration practitioners or risk enforcement action by the Legal Services Board – including the ultimate sanction of losing their ability to regulate the area at all.
At last – standard contractual terms between barristers and solicitors clear final hurdle
Standard contractual terms between solicitors and barristers are set to become a reality at long last after the Legal Services Board approved controversial changes to the cab-rank rule that will underpin them – albeit with some reluctance.
Confidential SRA research uncovers non-compliance and bad attitudes over complaints
There is a “small but material rate of non-compliance” by solicitors with their complaints-handling requirements – and some bad attitudes towards complaints – confidential research by the Solictors Regulation Authority has found.
LSB gives green light to groundbreaking Bar student aptitude test
The Legal Services Board has approved Bar Standards Board proposals to introduce an aptitude test for prospective Bar students. The test aims to weed out the bottom 10% of candidates.
High level of consumer satisfaction with legal services providers, says research
Satisfaction with legal services providers is high, major new research has found, with those using solicitors likely to get a better result than those who sought advice from other providers. But fewer than half of those with legal needs sought professional help.
LSB "putting too much weight" on solicitors' poor score in will-writing mystery shopping
Concerns over the standard of will-writing by solicitors are based on limited evidence and the Solicitors Regulation Authority should not have to prove its ability to regulate such work, the Law Society has claimed.
Blog
On good authority? GenAI and the reputational risks to law firms
As GenAI’s influence grows, so do the risks which are already playing out in courtrooms across England and Wales, where some early adopters are setting precedents they would rather not.
Why this is the year for law firms to embrace generative AI
After more than a year of pilots, proofs of value and early experimentation, firms are increasingly embedding AI into day-to-day workflows.
Client account interest is not spare change
The proposed Interest on Lawyers’ Client Accounts scheme is being framed as a sensible, international, “tried and tested” way for the profession to help fund a justice system under strain.
