Regulation
Law firm to recoup money paid out of client account without consent
A businessman who refused to repay a £626,000 loan made by a law firm partner from a client’s funds without their consent has been ordered to make good the money.
Solicitor who misused vulnerable clients’ compensation struck off
A solicitor used “vulnerable” clients’ money for his own purposes, as well as holding onto cash for disbursements and leaving client damages in his office account, has been struck off.
SRA cyber-losses clause “could force firms to close”
Plans by the Solicitors Regulation Authority to add a new cyber-losses clause to indemnity insurance policies could force some law firms to close, the Law Society has warned.
Barrister can be sued for second advice on same case, CA rules
A barrister who cannot be sued for initial advice to a housing client for limitation reasons can be sued for a later, overlapping piece of advice on the same case, the Court of Appeal has ruled.
Option for online exams to become permanent, SRA decides
Emergency measures allowing legal practice course (LPC) students to take their exams at home during the pandemic are to become permanent where there is a “clear rationale” to do so, the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) has decided. Further work will… Read More
Barrister who switched from crime to family “was not on top of the rules”
A barrister sanctioned for talking to the opposing lay client in the absence of their lawyer had switched from criminal to family law and “was simply not on top” of the rules, it has emerged.
BSB probing barrister who tweeted about “stroppy teenager of colour”
The Bar Standards Board is taking action against the barrister who caused a storm of outrage by tweeting about “the stroppy teenager of colour”, he has confirmed.
SRA backs down over cut to Compensation Fund payout limit
The Solicitors Regulation Authority has backed down over its controversial plan to cut the maximum award from its Compensation Fund from £2m to £500,000.
Sloppy law firms “using Covid as excuse” for regulatory shortcomings
Law firms are using the pandemic as “an excuse” for failing to do things and this could lead to questions from their regulator, an accountant specialising in Solicitors Accounts Rules audits has warned.
Anger over proposed ‘good faith’ rule for immigration lawyers
Government plans to impose a ‘good faith’ requirement on immigration lawyers have been strongly attacked by solicitors and barristers, while the Legal Services Board has also questioned it.
Blog
The cost of systemic failure and childbirth injuries
Recent reports show that the NHS has paid almost £3.5bn in medical claims around childbirth injuries over the past six years.
Mazur: when regulators make simple things complicated
What the last six months have shown is that supervision cannot be treated as a background compliance obligation quietly managed somewhere in a firm’s operational processes.
How unstoppable AI is reshaping UK legal practice
At a time when most technology innovation still flows from the US and China, UK lawtech is attracting growing international attention and capital.
