Regulation

A solicitor who withdrew money more than 150 times from client accounts so as to keep his firm afloat has been struck off for his “disgraceful” behaviour. In mitigation, the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal was told that the solicitor had “treated his practice as his family”.

A long-running disciplinary case involving accusations that a barrister forged client care letters must be heard again, the Visitors to the Inns of Court have ruled. They said there was “no basis” for saying that the barrister would be deprived of a fair hearing “by reason of delay and/or any prior knowledge” of BSB witnesses.

Solicitors’ professional indemnity insurers cannot aggregate multiple related claims when the terms of the transactions are not conditional or dependent upon each other, the High Court has decided in a ruling said to protect law firms from financial risk.

Vulnerable people could lose out under the latest plans by the Solicitors Regulation Authority for the regulation of consumer credit work, the Legal Services Consumer Panel has warned. Meanwhile the Law Society called for greater clarity on payment of legal fees by instalments.

The Legal Services Board has expressed concern that the cost of practising as a solicitor remains the same even though the Solicitors Regulation Authority’s budget continues to fall. In all, Chancery Lane is looking to raise £105.8m.

The Bar Standards Board is investigating 17 barristers at the same chambers over complaints about a ‘failure to act appropriately towards pupils’, it has emerged. Its annual enforcement report also showed that nine investigations were started into barristers with drink-driving convictions in 2014/15.

A retired solicitor who was not clear about his status with a client, and provided reserved legal activities in the mistaken belief that he could do so, has accepted a rebuke and fine from the Solicitors Regulation Authority. Meanwhile, a solicitor convicted of bringing fraudulent PI claims has agreed to remove himself from the profession.

A Birmingham man who provided unregulated immigration advice has become the latest operator in the sector to be convicted for his actions. He was sentenced to a community order for 24 weeks, concurrent for each offence, and made subject to a curfew.

An assistant solicitor has admitted to having “fabricated” advice from counsel, two expert reports and a series of letters on a medical negligence case because she felt “completely panicked and couldn’t see a way out”. The Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal found that she “had not been thinking rationally at the time”.

Legal professional privilege can be qualified in the “rare circumstances” where it is necessary to impose a requirement that other people are present at discussions between lawyers and clients, the Court of Appeal has ruled.