Practice Management
Law firm fails to strike out claims brought by ex-property clients
A law firm has failed in its bid to strike out claims alleging that it concealed the true purchase prices for properties its clients bought and paid away the surplus without instructions.
Covid drives surge in thought-leadership marketing at biggest firms
There has been an explosion in thought-leadership marketing among the country’s major law firms, driven in part by insights created to help clients navigate Covid-19, according to new research.
Exclusive: Pioneering legal services advice app shut down
An American company that sought to bring subscription-based legal services to the mainstream consumer market in the UK has shuttered its operation after less than two years.
Client left it too late to sue law firm, appeal judges rule
A client was prevented by the Limitation Act from suing a law firm for negligence when a fire destroyed her property, the Court of Appeal has ruled.
Surrey firm ordered to pay £800k for property negligence
A Surrey law firm has been ordered to pay more than £800,000 in damages for negligence after failing to tell its client that part of a property he thought he had bought had been retained by the seller.
Sloppy law firms “using Covid as excuse” for regulatory shortcomings
Law firms are using the pandemic as “an excuse” for failing to do things and this could lead to questions from their regulator, an accountant specialising in Solicitors Accounts Rules audits has warned.
Five-star Trustpilot reviews becoming “hygiene factor” not differentiator
More than eight in every 10 reviews on Trustpilot award law firms five stars, making them increasingly a “hygiene factor” rather than a differentiator, new research has indicated.
Largely positive response to office return, law firm bosses report
The boss of a Cheshire law firm has said the “constant theme” of recent appraisals is that “people want to come back to the office”, with another saying his firm has reversed plans to downsize its office.
App launches with huge range of legal help to consumers and SMEs
An app for SMEs to diagnose and get guidance on their legal problems has now launched a consumer version that helps users find and book a lawyer, and is integrated with government services.
CLC to introduce ‘polluter pays’ to cover cost of Legal Ombudsman
The Council for Licensed Conveyancers is set to become the first regulator to introduce a ‘polluter pays’ element to how it recovers the cost of the Legal Ombudsman from those it regulates.
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.
