Regulation
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.
Unqualified legal services company staff convicted of fraud
Four managers of an unregulated company that offered legal services have been convicted of defrauding clients and unlawfully providing immigration advice.
Solicitor fined after “misleading” website went live
A solicitor has been fined for allowing a misleading website to appear, purporting to suggest he ran an award-winning multi-national firm when he did not.
Judges accused of £12.6m legal aid scam appear in court
Three judges and six other lawyers arrested over an alleged plot to scam £12.6m from the legal aid system have appeared in court.
‘Death threat’ solicitor struck off over client money
A solicitor who claimed she transferred over £250,000 from her firm’s client account to third parties amid threats to her life has been struck off.
New barrister firm offers fixed fees for arbitration
A barrister who worked as an advocate at City law firms has set up a niche commercial firm regulated by the BSB, offering arbitration clients fixed fees.
SDT condemns Asons for “disgraceful” client letters
The Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal has described letters sent to clients by failed Bolton law firm Asons as “disgraceful” and “self-serving”.
CILEx to become ABS regulator no.6
The Chartered Institute of Legal Executives is set to become the sixth body allowed to license alternative business structures after its application was approved by the Lord Chancellor.
SDT consults on adopting civil standard of proof
The Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal inched closer to adopting a civil standard of proof yesterday when it published a consultation on ditching the criminal standard.
Law firm call-centre worker banned over fraud
A call-centre worker at a leading debt recovery law firm has been banned from working in the profession after trying to defraud debtors.
Blog
Could unpredictable AI costs finally lead firms to true value pricing?
For years, the legal profession has talked of moving away from the billable hour to value-based pricing without quite managing it.
Is your Google Ads budget funding your competitors’ AI visibility?
If your cost-per-click has crept up again this year, you’ve probably assumed the market simply got more expensive. That’s the wrong way to read what’s happening.
Containing the spread of unapproved AI
Nearly 60% of fee-earners admit to using unapproved tools (like free versions of ChatGPT). Yet 68% of firm leaders are confident there is zero risk of unapproved AI being used for client work.
Reports
Associates
