Property
MPs to probe transparency and referral fees in conveyancing process
MPs are to probe whether consumers have the information they need to choose a conveyancer as well as the role of referral fees, it was announced yesterday.
People happy with their conveyancers – but don’t know what they do
Home movers are generally happy with the service they received from their conveyancer – but a large proportion have little idea what they actually do, new research has found.
Rush to meet end of SDLT holiday caused solicitor to let down client
A conveyancer who forgot to put in place a declaration of trust on the ownership of a property in the rush to beat the stamp duty holiday deadline in 2021 has been rebuked.
Litigant misled court over response from other side’s solicitors
A litigant in person who made a ‘without notice’ application to move property transactions to completion, blaming the other side’s solicitors for not replying to him, mislead the court.
City giant uses generative AI to develop lease reporting tool
City law firm BCLP has used generative artificial intelligence to develop a lease reporting tool which is being rolled out to UK clients this month.
Value of legal services market “to hit £50bn” this year
The legal services market will continue to grow in 2024, hitting a turnover of £50bn with a “resilient” corporate law sector boosted by “stronger economic conditions” later in the year.
“Unstuffy” ABS hits £7m turnover in less than five years
A Yorkshire alternative business structure founded in 2019 by a solicitor and non-lawyer has grown its turnover from £500,000 in year one to £7m as it expands its range of services.
Minister urges conveyancers to increase pace of innovation
Conveyancers have “a central role” in realising a digital home buying and selling process but innovation needs to happen at a greater pace, the housing minister said last week.
SRA hands out fines nearing £50,000 for AML failures
The Solicitors Regulation Authority has this week issued fines totalling nearly £50,000 to two law firms and a solicitor over various breaches of anti-money laundering rules.
Lawyer rebuked for not checking ID of walk-in client
A chartered legal executive who failed to check the identity of a walk-in client who said the firm had acted for him in the past has been rebuked by the Solicitors Regulation Authority.
Blog
Firms need to move faster on AI pricing
Law firms are trying to rethink pricing while still operating on business models fundamentally built around time.
The overlooked hate crime reform in Crime & Policing Act
Reforms introduced by the Crime and Policing Act 2026 mark a significant development in hate crime law in England and Wales, recognising hostility related to sex as an aggravated offence.
The SRA’s strict liability gamble has failed. Good
The Court of Appeal handed down its judgment in Dentons v SRA on 27 April, and the profession is right to welcome it. It is the second time in short succession that the court has corrected the SRA.
