Regulation
Lifting referral fee ban will give green light to “least ethical” solicitors
Ending the ban on referral fees in legal aid cases risks approving the practices of some of the solicitors’ profession’s “least ethical and least professional members”, barristers have claimed.
Plant: CBE a recognition of SRA progress
Charles Plant, the former chairman of the Solicitors Regulation Authority, has described the award of a CBE in the Queen’s Birthday Honours List as “recognition” of the work done by the regulator during his tenure. Mr Plant, who is now retired, was cited for services to legal regulation and education.
Firm shut down after solicitor who forged cheques as trainee is struck off
The Solicitors Regulation Authority last week shut down a north-west London law firm shortly after an accountant who went on to train as a solicitor at the firm was struck off for preparing fraudulent cheques and forging partners’ signatures.
Hat-trick of appeal wins for East London firm as it overturns wasted costs order
A small East London law firm has scored a hat-trick of successful appeals against sanctions after overturning a wasted costs order at the Employment Appeal Tribunal, following challenges to the Legal Ombudsman and Solicitors Regulation Authority.
Barrister who handled client money banned from public access work
Another barrister has fallen foul of the rules on public access, this time by handling client money, leading to a six-month ban from handling such cases and a £1,000 fine for then failing to co-operate with the Legal Ombudsman and Bar Standards Board.
Quayle u-turn leaves CILEx Regulation searching for new chair
CILEx Regulation – the regulatory arm of the Chartered Institute of Legal Executives – is searching for a new chairman after the man who was due to take over last week decided against doing so. In February, CILEx announced that Quinton Quayle, a former British ambassador to Thailand, had been appointed.
There is a “huge future” for high street firms, new SPG chairman says
There is a “huge future” for high street law firms, but the way ahead will be for practices to become more specialised, the new chairman of the Sole Practitioners Group (SPG) has said.
Only one solicitor sent to SDT over referral fee ban as large CMCs thrive
Only one solicitor has been sent to the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal for breaching the ban on referral fees in personal injury cases, it has emerged. Meawhile, the head of claims management regulation said the “biggest CMCs are making more and more money”.
High Court backs SRA over bankruptcy costs claim
The High Court has backed the Solicitors Regulation Authority in denying a trustee in bankruptcy the right to deduct his costs from client funds held by a solicitors’ practice after the principals were made bankrupt.
Only 4% of CMC complaints relate to personal injury work, LeO reveals
Only 4% of complaints about claims management companies (CMCs) received by the Legal Ombudsman (LeO) relate to personal injury work, it has emerged, in the first release of figures since Leo began its new role.
Blog
Mazur: a symptom not a cause?
If Mazur is a symptom, what does it mean for the underlying health of our civil justice system: the ‘finest legal system in the world’?
Cross-generation collaboration: the key to in-house legal tech adoption
In-house legal function leaders will increasingly have to evolve their thinking on how to manage multigenerational teams containing differing levels of technological expertise.
AI and law firm risk – the view of professional indemnity insurers
In considering law firm applications for cover, many insurers will expect to see evidence of how firms are adapting to AI and preparing for the future.
