Other lawyers
LSB paves way for CLC to expand beyond conveyancing
The statutory framework of the Council for Licensed Conveyancers (CLC) could be changed in a way that would potentially enable it to regulate all reserved legal activities, under plans outlined by the Legal Services Board (LSB).
Exclusive: will-writers’ trade body launches unique ABS
The Institute of Professional Willwriters has won approval for a unique alternative business structure that will enable its members and others to access related legal services for their clients, and share in the fees generated.
"Door is open" on regulation of will-writing, Kenny says
The government may look again at the question of whether to regulate will-writing, the chief executive of the Legal Services Board has indicated. Justice minister Shailesh Vara has left open the door “for further consideration”, Chris Kenny said.
Legal regulators face having to appoint ‘small business appeals champions’
The Legal Services Board has told the government that if it wants to appoint ‘small business appeals champions’ for legal services, it should appoint them to the boards of the eight front-line regulators rather than the super-regulator.
LeO: make conveyancers answer to HMRC for stamp duty failings
The Legal Ombudsman (LeO) has suggested that conveyancers, rather than clients, should answer to HMRC when stamp duty payments fail to arrive.
CLC “disappointed” with ministers on future of regulation
The Council for Licensed Conveyancers has become the first body to express disappointment with the Ministry of Justice’s announcement last week that it would not be making any major changes to the framework of legal regulation.
SDT takes wrecking ball to LSB’s review of disciplinary regimes
The Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal has condemned the recent Legal Services Board recommendation of a civil standard of proof for use across disciplinary tribunals as “looking like a small tail wagging a large dog”.
LSB hits out at “jumble” of disciplinary regimes, but admits it can do little to improve them
The sanctions and appeals regimes of the frontline regulators are an inconsistent “jumble” of different powers that may protect lawyers rather than consumers, according to the Legal Services Board.
LSB presses on with statutory guidance forcing regulators to liberalise education and training
Statutory guidance that requires legal regulators to move away from assuming would-be lawyers have to spend a certain amount of time training before they qualify was published yesterday by the Legal Services Board.
Second phase of apprenticeships scheme opens door to solicitor and conveyancer qualification
Key players in the legal profession have welcomed the second phase of a government-backed scheme that will create apprenticeships which for the first time will lead to qualification as a solicitor, while a new apprenticeship in conveyancing will also be developed.
Blog
Change in regulator shouldn’t make AML less of a priority
While SRA fines for AML have been climbing, many in the profession aren’t confident they will get any relief from the FCA, a body used to dealing with a highly regulated industry.
There are 17 million wills waiting to be written
The main reason cited by people who do not have a will was a lack of awareness as to how to arrange one. As a professional community, we seem to be failing to get our message across.
The case for a single legal services regulator: why the current system is failing
From catastrophic firm collapses to endemic compliance failures, the evidence is mounting that the current multi-regulator model is fundamentally broken.
