Private Client
Solicitor who employed banned will writer is suspended
A solicitor who employed a will writer banned by the Solicitors Regulation Authority from working for law firms without its permission has been suspended for a month.
Paralegal jailed for abusing LPAs to steal client money
A paralegal has been jailed for 20 months after stealing £11,500 from clients whose affairs her firm was managing under lasting powers of attorney.
LeO names firms “in public interest” as it publishes first full decisions
The Legal Ombudsman has published three of its final decisions in full for the first time, including the names of the firms involved, arguing that the move increases transparency.
Solicitor’s will cutting out daughter a forgery, High Court rules
The supposed beneficiary of a will of a deceased solicitor that cut out his daughter failed to establish that it is genuine, the High Court has ruled.
Solicitor who changed LPA and cheque “was not dishonest”
A solicitor who changed the terms of a lasting power of attorney and the date on a cheque without the client’s consent did not act dishonestly, the SDT has ruled.
Acquisition marks next step in aggressive growth at Octopus Legacy
The Octopus Group, the £13bn financial services and energy business, claims it is now the second largest estate planning business in the country after buying WSL Will Writing.
Electronic wills at heart of overhaul of 188-year-old law
Plans to modernise will making – including allowing electronic wills – and reduce the number of disputes were today published by the Law Commission.
Most consumers no longer use solicitors for wills
The proportion of consumers using solicitors for their wills has dropped below half for the first time, a report has found, with unbundling growing in popularity.
PE-backed group launches private client law firm
Private equity-backed Beyond Law Group has completed its consumer law offering after launching a private client law firm as part of significant expansion plans.
High Court: Badly drafted will shows dangers of unqualified writers
A badly drafted will which has caused “untold anguish” to relatives of the deceased shows the dangers of using unqualified will-writers, the High Court has warned.
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.
