Private Client
Solicitor used client money to keep within overdraft
A veteran solicitor who admitted billing clients for work he had not done to avoid his firm exceeding its overdraft has been struck off.
Judge condemns law firm’s “incompetence” in probate dispute
A law firm based in Hertfordshire has been severely criticised by a High Court judge for the “heinous” errors it made and its “simple incompetence” in pursuing a probate dispute.
Seven-year restriction for solicitor in third SDT appearance
A probate solicitor who blamed multiple breaches on the “emotional entanglement” he felt when handling his brother’s estate has been fined and given a seven-year restriction order.
Legal Services Act can be vehicle for reform of regulation, says LSB
Calls to reform the Legal Services Act 2007 overlook the many unused provisions in it that could facilitate major changes in regulation, the chief executive of the Legal Services Board has said.
Octopus Legacy eyes surge in probate work after acquisitions
Octopus Legacy, the fast-growing estate planning and bereavement business, has predicted its probate work will jump by 1,000% over the next 12 months following a major acquisition.
AI and online ‘finfluencers’ making job harder, say private client lawyers
Both artificial intelligence and online influencers are becoming a source of “inadequate, outdated or misleading advice on wills and financial planning”, according to research.
“Panicked” solicitor who backdated document struck off
A solicitor who backdated a document and sent a misleading email to a client has been struck off, despite evidence he was experiencing significant mental health difficulties at the time.
Major PE-backed law firms unveil latest acquisitions
Two fast-growing private equity-backed law firms in the North-West have unveiled acquisitions to boost their Court of Protection and personal injury practices respectively.
Solicitor cleared of misleading client and firm over LPAs
A solicitor accused of misleading her client and her firm about delays in registering lasting powers of attorney has been cleared, with her firm placing too much on her shoulders.
Solicitor who billed clients for work he had not done struck off
A private client lawyer who billed clients for work he had not done has been struck off by the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal.
Blog
Beyond PCP: Can regulators and lawyers work better together next time?
Nearly a decade after the Financial Conduct Authority began investigating the car finance industry, the story of the PCP commission scandal is still unfinished.
Accountability has to live within governance, not with one person
The assumption has long been that a COLP or COFA is personally exposed to the consequences of anti-money laundering breaches.
The SRA’s client money reforms: good intentions, questionable execution
On the face of it, the SRA’s plans to tighten protections around client money sounds sensible. The detail, as ever, tells a more complicated story.
