Regulation
LSB approves new route to qualifying as a solicitor
The new way of qualifying as a solicitor, including passing a centralised, two-part examination, will go live from 1 September 2021 after the Legal Services Board approved the reforms.
SRA puts consolidator into liquidation owing £17m
The 16-office law firm consolidator shut down by the Solicitors Regulation Authority in August has been placed into liquidation owing creditors nearly £17m.
Be yourselves, Black female QCs advise young barristers
Young barristers from ethnic minorities should not be afraid to be who they are – including maintaining their hair in its natural look – as they look to progress, pioneering QCs have advised.
Solicitor admits losing control of his firm’s accounts
A solicitor who said he was “unable to take control” of his firm’s accounts when he started receiving client money – he admitted not knowing interest should be paid to clients – has been fined £10,000.
Solicitor who changed dates of charges with Tipp-Ex struck off
A property lawyer who used Tipp-Ex to change the dates of charges he needed to register at Companies House has been struck off by the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal.
Appeal over failure to award indemnity costs against SRA
A solicitor who obtained a rare costs award against the SRA is to ask the High Court to rule that the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal was wrong to say it could not award them on the indemnity basis.
Number of solicitors on the roll hits 200,000 for first time
The number of solicitors on the roll has topped 200,000 for the first time, with 150,000 now practising. Meanwhile, the proportion of solicitors working in private practice has fallen to an all-time low.
“Not all mistakes are misconduct”, says SDT as it clears solicitor
Not all mistakes made by solicitors are professional misconduct, the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal has ruled in dismissing allegations that an assistant misled the court.
“KKK” solicitor fined for groping female colleagues
A senior solicitor who did a Ku Klux Klan impersonation at his Black secretary and repeatedly groped her bottom has been fined and urged to undertake diversity training.
Pro-Beijing lawyer faces SDT over “kill protestors” comments
A pro-Beijing Hong Kong politician and lawyer, who is also qualified here, is set to face the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal over allegations that he said pro-independence supporters should be killed.
Blog
The ongoing rise and challenge of housing disrepair in council properties
Britain’s housing disrepair crisis has quietly evolved into one of the most consequential legal and political issues facing the country’s social housing sector.
Source of funds is where AML really gets tested
It’s a familiar story: a PDF of a bank statement lands in your inbox, your client leaves a cursory note explaining what some of the transactions mean, and you close the file.
Firms need to move faster on AI pricing
Law firms are trying to rethink pricing while still operating on business models fundamentally built around time.
