Regulation
Former cabinet minister to chair IP regulator
The Intellectual Property Regulation Board has unveiled Lord Smith of Finsbury – better known as the former Labour cabinet minister Chris Smith – as its new chair.
FCA will have power to cap personal injury CMCs’ fees
The Financial Conduct Authority will have the power to cap the fees of personal injury CMCs, although there is currently no need, says the Treasury.
Barrister fined for failing to follow instructions
An experienced criminal law barrister has been fined by a disciplinary tribunal for failing to apply for a forfeiture order on behalf of his client.
Solicitor falsely billed law firms to feed cocaine habit
A solicitor who was convicted of fraudulently submitting false invoices for police station work to fund his cocaine habit has been struck off.
NDA furore: Employment lawyers back more ethics training
Employment lawyers support targeted ethical training in the wake of the furore over NDAs, while the Bar Standards Board is to issue guidance on their use.
Suspension for solicitor convicted of ABH against ex-boyfriend
A family law solicitor convicted of actual bodily harm after she hit her former boyfriend in the face with a glass has been suspended from practice.
Clients “losing millions” as fraudsters target solicitors
Fraud is hitting the solicitors’ profession ever harder, with tens of millions of pounds of client money lost to cybercrime and dubious investment schemes, the SRA has warned.
MPs tell regulators to up game on harassment and NDAs
Legal regulators must show that lawyers will face “serious sanctions” if they sexually harass clients or colleagues or misuse non-disclosure agreements, MPs said today.
LSB reforms to end “different treatment” for accountants
The Legal Services Board is to impose reform that will end the “different treatment” for accountancy regulators which also oversee legal services.
Bid to reduce “low-quality” money laundering reports
High numbers of low-quality suspicious activity reports are making it difficult to investigate money laundering, the Law Commission has warned.
Blog
Automation in personal injury claims: The evolving legal risks
As automation tools become more sophisticated, they are increasingly used for more complex tasks, such as interpreting evidence and informing case strategy, particular in the PI sector.
A new era of legal operations
What we are seeing in the UK legal market is extraordinary change that will greatly influence how firms operate and compete for years to come.
Strong AML controls are meaningless with incomplete data
One expectation as the FCA takes control of anti-money laundering oversight is a move towards more supervision rather than simply writing new rules.
