Compliance & Regulation
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.
SRA urged to consider fee reductions for legal aid firms
The Solicitors Regulation Authority should consider reductions for legal aid firms if it goes ahead with plans for a 29%, or £25m, increase in its funding.
Rebuke for law firm that failed to perform undertaking for years
A South London law firm that failed to perform an undertaking given during a property transaction for nearly two and a half years has been rebuked by the SRA.
SRA unveils first two prosecutions from Post Office scandal
The first two solicitors to face the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal (SDT) for misconduct linked to the Post Office scandal have been named.
Study highlights personal cost to in-house lawyers of saying ‘no’
In-house lawyers can pay a heavy price when saying ‘no’ to their employers, especially given the “sometimes horrifying level of toxicity” of corporate workplaces.
Law firm self-reports to SRA over failed private prosecution
A high-profile law firm has reported itself to the Solicitors Regulation Authority after the Chief Magistrate strongly criticised its role in a failed private prosecution.
Court of Appeal reinstates Legal Ombudsman finding against law firm
The Court of Appeal has reinstated a Legal Ombudsman decision that a law firm failed to adequately assess a client’s capacity and should pay her compensation.
Third of barristers face regular ethical challenges
A third of barristers face regular ethical issues and challenges in their practices but they benefit from “a solid system of training and support”, research has found.
BSB suspends ICC chief prosecutor Karim Khan
The Bar Standards Board has suspended Karim Khan, the chief prosecutor at the International Criminal Court, two years after allegations were made against him.
Judge refers KC for contempt hearing over closing speech
The KC accused of not following court directions in his closing speech has been referred to a presiding judge to consider contempt proceedings.
Strike-off for solicitor who fabricated emails and blamed secretary
A solicitor who fabricated emails in a way that pinned the blame for a missed deadline on his secretary has been struck off.
“Partisan” solicitor gave woman’s contact details to ex-partner
A family solicitor who was “unnecessarily partisan” in acting for a father has been fined for trying to force the mother to reveal where she and her children lived.
Senior barrister disbarred for sexual comments to junior colleagues
The barrister head of Gloucestershire Police’s legal department has been disbarred after making inappropriate sexual comments to junior female colleagues.
SRA to require advance notice of law firm M&A deals
Law firms will have to notify the Solicitors Regulation Authority after signing heads of terms on a merger or acquisition, the regulator has proposed.
AML: FCA to use ‘fit and proper’ test for law firm owners
Law firm owners and managers will be subjected to the FCA’s ‘fit and proper’ test once it takes over oversight of their AML activities, the government has decided.
Blog
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.
Recruitment, retention and reward in the legal accounts world
Understanding the legal finance market is important – not just for those actively involved in it day-to-day but also for leaders within law firms.
