Regulation
Sharp drop in LPC pass rate
Pass rates on the legal practice course have fallen significantly, while the achievement gap between white and ethnic minority students remains large, new research has found.
New referral network shows model lives on after Connect2Law
A north-west law firm has launched a referral scheme for other solicitors, against a national backdrop where the survival of networks formerly in Pannone’s Connect2Law suggests the model is alive and well.
Solicitor faked email to cover inaction
A solicitor claiming to have become overwhelmed by pressure of work has been struck off after misleading clients that she had made court applications – even faking an email in one instance.
“Overcharging” partner who lied to SRA is struck off
A partner who overcharged clients and then lied to the Solicitors Regulation Authority about sending bills to them has been struck off. A fellow partner was suspended for failing to stop this.
First indemnity insurance for freelance solicitors launched
An insurance intermediary in the City of London has opened the door to the new breed of freelance solicitors by launching the first indemnity cover for them.
SDT clears partner in “accidental overcharging” case
A former head of private client accused of overcharging an estate by up to £30,000 when acting as executor has been cleared of misconduct by the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal.
“Dishonest” ABS owner banned for multiple breaches
A non-lawyer owner of an alternative business structure responsible for multiple rule breaches – including a £3.6m shortfall on his firm’s client account – has been banned.
Solicitor’s “manifest incompetence” in employing banned barrister
A solicitor who employed a banned barrister as a consultant without checking his identity or his record with the Bar Standards Board has been fined £20,000.
Unlimited annual leave policies “work for right firms”
Unlimited paid holiday leave has helped raise overall productivity, improved teamwork and reduced sick leave, according to one of the first law firms to adopt it.
First apprentice qualifies as chartered legal executive
A paralegal at listed law firm DWF has become the first chartered legal executive to qualify through an apprenticeship, an appropriate landmark for National Apprenticeship Week.
Blog
Law firms need to go beyond document checks
At the root of every failed compliance review is a familiar phrase: a calm assertion of “but we did a document check”.
How you respond to mistakes matters more than the mistakes themselves
Mistakes in legal practice are inevitable. What truly differentiates well-run firms from those that stumble is not whether mistakes occur, but how they are handled when they do.
Litigation finance is not one product. It’s a strategy
Across the consumer claims market, litigation finance has developed into a broader set of funding options that can support different stages of a case.
