Regulation
Beckwith “not a future risk”, tribunal rules
Former Freshfields partner Ryan Beckwith is not a “future risk” to the public or the profession despite his “inappropriate conduct” with a junior colleague, the SDT has said in its long-awaited ruling.
Lawyers hit back at complaint publication plans
The Law Society and Bar Council have strongly attacked plans by the Legal Ombudsman to extend its publication of information about complaints, arguing that it would not help consumers.
Solicitor sanctioned for dealing with unregulated CMCs
A solicitor who took holiday sickness leads from unregulated claims management companies has been rebuked by his regulator – as has one convicted of assaulting an emergency worker.
Pupils must have written agreements from May
Written pupillage agreements will become compulsory from 1 May 2020, the Bar Standards Board has decreed, while all chambers have to bring their recruitment into line with the pupillage gateway.
Ex-civil servant takes on SRA strategy and innovation role
A former civil servant who also held a senior role at the Co-operative Group has been appointed to the new role at the Solicitors Regulation Authority of executive director for strategy and innovation.
Lawyers could be forced to sign up to comparison websites
Law firms, chambers and other legal services providers could be forced to sign up to comparison websites so that clients can let others know about the quality of service they received.
HMCTS told to fund lay advocates to lift solicitors’ burden
A High Court family judge has ordered that public funds be made available to pay for lay advocates to support intellectually impaired parents so as to lift the load from their solicitors.
Obscene tweets barrister “could have reached the top”
A barrister suspended for sending obscene and offensive tweets “might well have scaled the heights of the profession” had it not been for her actions outside of her practice, a tribunal has said.
“Surprisingly incompetent” solicitor fined over instructions failure
An experienced solicitor who acted in a “surprisingly incompetent manner” has been heavily fined for failing to clarify whether instructions from a client living in Pakistan were genuine.
Solicitor who made “catastrophic decisions” is struck off
An immigration lawyer who made “catastrophic decisions” to channel fees from an “inherently vulnerable” asylum seeker into her personal bank account has been struck off.
Blog
Legal director: an alternative to partnership
Firms are increasingly acknowledging the need for alternative senior roles – positions that offer influence and recognition without the obligations of ownership.
It’s time for law firms to ask tougher questions
For years, many law firms have treated ID verification as a box-ticking exercise. Run a liveness check, match a face to a document and move on. But that is no longer good enough.
Business fatigue to AI will risk job security
Whilst we know professional learning has always been part of career paths, to hire, retain and keep talent, AI needs to be embedded as a core part of this training.
