Competence
Barrister “of good judgement” was not negligent over client’s conviction
A barrister of “good judgement” who had to make rapid decisions in a “pressurised environment” was not negligent even though it turned out her client was wrongly convicted.
Negligent conveyancers cannot dodge liability because of fraud
Negligent conveyancers should not be able to avoid liability because it emerges later that their client was engaged in mortgage fraud, the Supreme Court has ruled.
SRA to review regime for checking solicitors’ competence
The Solicitors Regulation Authority is to launch a review of its approach to solicitors’ continuing competence, amid calls for spot checks or accreditation schemes to reassure consumers.
Appeal judges reject divorcee’s negligence claim
The Court of Appeal has upheld a ruling that a negligence claim brought by a woman against her law firm over its work on her divorce was out of time.
Negligent advice warning over coronavirus jobs scheme
Lawyers who advised clients on the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme are at risk of claims as the government looks to claw back payments to which recipients were not entitled.
Judge: Investor who lost pension was not law firm’s client
A man who lost his pension after investing in self-storage pods with disastrous results was not the client of the law firm who advised on it, a judge has held.
Firm’s negligence had “disastrous consequences” for client
It is difficult to imagine a “more obvious breach of duty” by a conveyancing solicitor than failing to register its new owner, the High Court has said in a case where it had “disastrous consequences”.
Court rejects “fanciful” conveyancing negligence claim
The High Court has rejected a “fanciful” £600,000 conveyancing negligence claim against the law firm Gateley, based on an error admitted by the firm.
Negligent firm ordered to pay €3.5m to property investors
A defunct Italian law firm that operated in London has been ordered by the High Court to pay €3.5m to investors in a failed holiday development that allegedly had links to the Mafia.
Firms launches ‘will through a window’ service
A law firm in Wiltshire is offering a ‘Wills through a window’ service as law firms look for ways to execute wills validly amidst a spike in demand due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Blog
Why good governance matters when managing Law Society forms
Everyday legal transactions rely on Law Society forms. But they are often treated as static templates rather than what they really are: living documents that change over time.
A letter from the SRA? Your first reaction matters
An email from the SRA has a way of rearranging a working day. It arrives in the same inbox as everything else, often in the same measured tone, yet it carries a different weight.
Regulate sole practices on evidence, not turnover
For a sole practice, the SRA’s plan that I cannot hold a compliance role if my firm has more than £600,000 of turnover is not a measure of risk. It is a ceiling on growth.
Reports
Associates
