Practice Management
Solicitors ignoring importance of business skills
There is a “fundamental disconnect” among solicitors between the skills they think they need and the ones they actually need, new research has suggested.
Hackathons not solving “intractable justice problems”
The “hackers, hustlers and hipsters” of legal tech hackathons are “not enough” to solve the “intractable problems” of access to justice, a leading legal researcher has argued.
Anonymous reporting tool to aid barristers facing harassment
Barristers will be able to make anonymous reports of bullying and harassment by their colleagues and judges after the Bar Council signed up to an online tool to aid the profession.
Government stumps up extra £250k for Legal Access Challenge
The government has provided an extra £250,000 in funding for the Legal Access Challenge to double the number of finalists in and winners of the competition.
Law Commission paves way for video witnessing of deeds
The Law Commission has paved the way for video witnessing of deeds by calling on the government to set up an industry working group which could consider the matter.
Tribunal rejects solicitor’s “attempts at character assassination”
A solicitor who resigned without notice was in breach of contract, an employment tribunal has ruled after finding that it was not a case of constructive dismissal.
Law school launches SQE-friendly conversion course
BPP has become the first law school to reveal details of a new conversion course aimed at getting students through the first stage of the Solicitors Qualifying Exam.
HMCTS sets out reform ambitions as impact assessment begins
A high-level advisory panel of experts has met to consider the first steps in how to conduct an over-arching evaluation of the government’s £1bn court reform programme, expected to produce an interim report within two years.
CBA chief criticises senior judiciary over wellbeing failure
The outgoing chair of the Criminal Bar Association has criticised senior judges for failing to follow their Family Division colleagues in adopting email and sitting hours protocols to aid wellbeing.
Unhappy paralegal refused discrimination claim rerun
An employment tribunal has refused to reconsider a decision that comprehensively rejected a disability discrimination claim brought by a paralegal who worked for well-known personal injury firm Ralli.
Blog
The power of participation for trainees and apprentices
It’s important as a trainee or an apprentice to get involved in the life of your firm – even under the pressure of discovering how to navigate professional life and now the demands of the SQE.
Is it time to change how law firms view compliance?
Although COFAs often hold senior positions and play an essential role in a firm’s financial and regulatory integrity, the perception of the compliance function itself is still evolving.
From templates to culture change: Lessons from the SRA on source of funds
The SRA’s new thematic review into source of funds and wealth reveals both progress and persistent blind spots, with source-of-funds checks too often thought of as a procedural hurdle.
