Regulation
Lewd barrister thought he could act with impunity towards mini-pupil
An experienced barrister who made crude sexual comments to a student on a mini-pupillage thought he could act as he did “without anyone doing anything about it”, a tribunal has found.
Solicitor deceived Claims Direct into paying him £9.75m, judge rules
Colin Poole, the solicitor boss of Claims Direct, deceived the company into paying him £9.75m when he failed to deliver on a promise to divest his interest in his law firm, the High Court has ruled.
Review to probe impact of Post Office scandal on lawyer regulation
A probe into the lessons of the Post Office scandal for corporate governance, criminal justice and lawyer regulation has been launched and will push regulators to effect change.
SRA to follow FCA on capping claims management fees
The SRA is to follow the approach of the Financial Conduct Authority when capping the fees law firms charge for financial services claims management work – and will leave personal injury work alone for now.
£10m paid out last year to victims of solicitors’ dishonesty
The SRA Compensation Fund paid out more than £10m to the victims of solicitors’ financial dishonesty last year, a 37% increase on the previous 12 months, new figures have shown.
SRA formally begins life as a separate corporate entity
The board of trustees and directors of Solicitors Regulation Authority Ltd met for the first time last week after agreeing the transfer of £9m in assets to the new company from the Law Society.
Ban for law firm revenue controller who diverted payments to own bank account
A law firm revenue controller given a suspended jail sentence after diverting £32,000 in payments meant for suppliers to his own bank account has been banned from working in the profession.
SRA keeps SIF open in face of hardening insurance market
A hardening indemnity insurance market and pressure from the Law Society have persuaded the Solicitors Regulation Authority to keep the Solicitors Indemnity Fund open for a further year.
Call to curb return to practice of barristers suspended for sexual misconduct
Barristers suspended for sexual misconduct should face conditions when they return to practice, such as bans from taking pupils or being featured in legal directories.
Chambers changes name over Lord Hardwicke’s links to slavery
Well-known Lincoln’s Inn set Hardwicke Chambers is to change its name to Gatehouse Chambers in recognition of the role of Lord Hardwicke in perpetuating slavery in the 18th century.
Blog
A two-point plan to halve the size of the SRA
I have joked for many years that you could halve the size (and therefore cost) of the Solicitors Regulation Authority overnight by banning both client account and sole practitioners.
Key cyber and data security questions to ask a legal IT provider
One of the growing priorities that law firms face when considering a legal technology provider is cyber and data security, such as their responsibilities and cyber incident management.
Navigating carer’s leave: A personal journey and call for change
The Carer’s Leave Act 2023, which came into force on 6 April 2024, was a pivotal moment for the UK. It allows workers to take up to five unpaid days off a year to carry out caring responsibilities.
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