Regulation
White students still way out ahead in race for pupillages
White students are significantly more likely to obtain pupillage than those from BAME backgrounds, with the gap widest among those who have not achieved the highest results, new figures have shown.
“Under pressure” lawyer misled court after amending attendance note
A defendant personal injury lawyer who inaccurately recorded a telephone conversation with the other side in an attendance note – which led to the court being misled – has been fined.
Law firms “doing more training” since end of hours-based CPD
Four in ten law firms are doing more professional training following the end of the hours-based approach, research by the Solicitors Regulation Authority has found.
Reprimand for legal executive who asked SRA to keep quiet
A chartered legal executive has been reprimanded for asking the SRA not to tell his own regulator that it had investigated him. Unfortunately for him, they have an information-sharing agreement.
CMC boss faces £1.4m confiscation order over illegal PI data
A man found guilty of illegally obtaining people’s personal data and selling it to personal injury solicitors has been fined for breaches of data protection and issued with a £1.4m confiscation order.
Exclusive: First Bar Standards Board ABS closes down
The first alternative business structure licensed by the Bar Standards Board – a combination of barristers and football agents – has shut down, Legal Futures can reveal.
Guidelines “preserve GCs’ independence amidst corporate tension”
Comprehensive guidelines to boost the roles of and relationships between in-house lawyers and non-executive directors have been drawn up, in the hope of minimising the chances of an ethical lapse.
Privy Council backs law firm in battle over “franchise arrangement”
The Judicial Committee of the Privy Council has backed a leading offshore law firm after it was denied permission to open an office in Bermuda by the local bar council.
“Formal periodic reaccreditation” for lawyers back on the table
The Legal Services Board is set to begin work on a a review of continuing competence that will revisit the possibility of formal periodic reaccreditation for lawyers.
£13k fine for ops chief who resold firm’s mobiles highlights ABS anomaly
The former head of operations at well-known media law firm Schillings has been banned from working for solicitors after reselling the firm’s used mobile phones and pocketing the proceeds.
Blog
The SRA needs to admit it got it wrong about SLAPPs
The High Court judgment in Ashley Hurst v SRA in January raises serious questions about the regulator’s approach to allegations of SLAPP-like behaviour.
Why menopause support belongs on every law firm’s agenda
Progression in the law slows significantly as women approach senior leadership. Most will be at the height of their careers around the average age menopause symptoms begin.
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”.
