Regulation
LPC applicants refuse en masse to disclose ethnicity
Nearly 60% of applicants for the legal practice course refused to disclose their ethnicity last year – an extraordinary rise from the 2.3% who refused in 2019.
Lawyers agree ‘baseline document’ for standardised NDA
An initiative to create a standard non-disclosure agreement for use when beginning negotiations over corporate transactions has completed its first phase, with the publication of a ‘baseline document’.
Tribunal refuses to restore sanctioned solicitor’s “pride”
The Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal has refused to remove conditions on the practising certificate of a 63-year-old solicitor who said he wanted to recover his “pride and dignity”.
Tribunal rejects solicitor’s plea to end indefinite suspension
The Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal has refused to terminate an indefinite suspension imposed on a solicitor a decade ago, saying he had not proved he was ready to return to practise.
Black solicitors occupying senior roles is “key to success”
One-off training sessions and wellbeing schemes do not go far enough to ensure diversity and inclusion, and nothing short of ethnic minority lawyers occupying senior roles in firms will show real change.
Barrister who practised while suspended over drugs avoids disbarment
A barrister who practised while suspended following his high-profile conviction for possession of drugs that led to the death of his boyfriend has been sanctioned but not suspended or disbarred.
Ban for law firm consultant jailed after secret mobile calls to prisoner
A law firm consultant jailed for communicating with a prisoner on mobile phones that were smuggled into prison has been banned from working in the profession.
Cost of practising set to remain static for solicitors
The cost of practising for solicitors is set to stay the same even though the Law Society is unable to say at the moment what its budget will be for the next financial year.
Complaints about law officers send BSB caseload rocketing
Complaints about the law officers not standing up to the government over potentially breaking international law contributed to a huge increase in reports made to the Bar Standards Board.
LSB diversity report finds multiple failings by regulators
Measures taken by frontline legal regulators to improve diversity and inclusion are insufficient and based on inadequate evidence, according to a report published today.
Blog
From ‘year zero’ to £6.5m – how a law firm found its second life
In 2018, I hit what I call ‘year zero’. On paper, Olliers Solicitors was a top-tier criminal defence firm but beneath the surface, I could see we were at a crossroads.
Linklaters’ chief growth officer takes the ‘blank sheet’ challenge
In the third and final part of this series, Lucy Murphy, chief growth officer at magic circle firm Linklaters, outlines her vision for the law firm of the future.
The ‘blank sheet’ challenge, part 2 – what would you do differently?
In the second part of this blog series, Shainul Kassam, managing director of small London firm Fortune Law, sets out how she would set up a law firm now.
