Regulation
Proudman calls for 50% of all chambers’ members to be women
There should be a 50% target of women in all chambers, along with an independent office that is responsible for furthering equality and diversity at the Bar, a campaigner has argued.
Solicitor struck off for weaving elaborate “web of deception”
An experienced partner has been struck off after dishonestly drawing on hundreds of thousands of pounds of client money to top up private investments, and then covering it up with fake documents.
Solicitor’s “atrocious” conduct over child contact case condemned
The Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal has struck off a solicitor whose conduct in a sensitive child contact case it described as “atrocious”. He was “motivated by his desire to cover up his incompetence”.
Solicitor “paid £1.5m in salaries from client account”
The boss of a high street law firm who paid over £1.5m in staff salaries from client account over more than five years has agreed to leave the profession. She blamed salary software for what happened.
“Too kind” solicitor struck off for backdating EPA to save client money
An experienced solicitor who tried to save an elderly client the cost of updating her power of attorney by dishonestly purporting to have witnessed it seven years earlier, has been struck off.
Licensed conveyancers set for practising fees cut
The body that regulates licensed conveyancers is looking at steep reductions in the cost of practising, arguing that “good regulation does not have to come with an onerous price tag”.
Law firm central to scheme that lost ‘hotel room’ investors £52m
A dubious ‘hotel room’ investment scheme involving a law firm cost nearly 900 investors up to £52m, a decision of the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal has revealed.
Inns of Court to re-enter training market with new Bar course
The Inns of Court are to re-enter the student training market and become the first to unveil plans to deliver the new Bar training course at a price 30% cheaper than the current BPTC as it is not-for-profit.
Nally speaks out against greater fining powers for SRA
The president of the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal has outlined his opposition to the Solicitors Regulation Authority’s campaign for greater powers to fine errant solicitors.
Written pupillage agreements to reduce “inappropriate behaviour”
Making written pupillage agreements compulsory could reduce the risk of pupil barristers being subjected to “inappropriate behaviour”, the Bar Standards Board has said.
Blog
Why later-life divorce requires a distinct professional framework
Later-life divorce, often described as ‘silver splitter’ or ‘grey divorce’ cases, is no longer a marginal feature of family law practice. It challenges long-standing assumptions about how divorce work is done.
Listening, learning and leading The Solicitor’s Charity with care
As I prepare to hand over the mantle of chair of The Solicitor’s Charity next month, it doesn’t feel like an end. Instead, it feels like a wonderful journey.
Is competition in the legal sector stifling innovation?
As the legal sector’s competitive landscape continues to evolve, Nobel laureates remind us that innovation is not inevitable,and that competition may not always be an incentive to innovate.
