Regulation
Lawyers face new anti-money laundering levy
Lawyers are to face a levy to help fund government action to tackle money laundering and ensure delivery of its economic crime plan, Chancellor Rishi Sunak announced in yesterday’s Budget.
Retired solicitor who tried to kiss 15-year-old struck off
A 66-year-old male solicitor found guilty of sexual assault when he tried to kiss a 15-year-old girl in a pub has been struck off in an incident described as “thoroughly unpleasant”.
Bail-jumping barrister suspended after assault conviction
A barrister convicted of assault after beating a woman and of failing to surrender to custody has been reprimanded and suspended from practice for four months.
Mirror’s in-house lawyers under phone-hacking scrutiny
The High Court has rejected a bid to strike out the claim by various public figures that the legal department of MGN Group knew about phone hacking at the Daily Mirror.
Solicitor’s seven-year “exile” ended by STaRs
A pioneering solicitor who came off the roll so she could continue providing housing advice from her unregulated firm has returned to the profession after a seven-year “exile”.
Solicitor fined for failing to supervise thieving bookkeeper
A solicitor who failed to properly supervise his firm’s bookkeeper – who went on to steal £25,000 – has been fined £2,000 by the Solicitors Regulation Authority, the second such sanction he has received.
PI boss fined for forwarding “grossly offensive” email
The former head of catastrophic injury at a Liverpool law firm has been fined £1,600 for forwarding a “highly derogatory and grossly offensive” email to a colleague.
High Court allows new harassment claims against barrister
A High Court judge has allowed three new harassment allegations against barrister Barbara Hewson to go ahead, while upholding an earlier ruling that a host of other ones should be struck out.
No privilege for law firm’s gold dust investment documents
An international law firm must disclose documents relating to a failed gold dust investment scheme which showed “the classic hallmarks” of fraud, the High Court has ruled.
Partner cleared of groping employee – by majority
A partner accused of repeatedly touching a female employee’s bottom has been cleared by a tribunal – although there was a dissenting judgment, an extremely rare occurrence.
Blog
SEO is changing: Are you measuring the right things?
AI means firms may see falling organic traffic and wonder if SEO is still working. The more interesting question is whether traffic is still the right measure of success.
Forms are evolving – and more interesting than you might think
I have spent much of my working life thinking about something most people would probably prefer not to think about at all: legal forms.
The questions that determine if the SRA’s client money reforms will work
Both reforms respond to real and well-evidenced gaps in the current framework. The SRA’s changes after consultation feedback shows it’s listening. But structural change on paper is only half the job.
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