Solicitors
English law experience “not required” to qualify as solicitor
Candidates for the qualifying work experience component of the new solicitor’s qualification process will not have to gain it in an English law jurisdiction, it has emerged.
Solicitor agrees to leave roll over advice to disgraced bishop
A solicitor who acted in a conflict of interest when advising a then bishop over allegations of sexual misconduct was “partly” to blame for the Church of England not taking stronger action against him.
Law Society and consumer panel join forces to oppose SIF closure
The Law Society and Legal Services Consumer Panel have joined forces to oppose the Solicitors Regulation Authority’s plan to close the Solicitors Indemnity Fund.
City firms “must weigh cost of losing female talent” in reward strategy
Big City law firms should take into account in their balance sheet the cost of losing good people ‘by the back door’ by focusing so heavily on earnings ‘through the front door’ such as billable hours.
Solicitor lost unencrypted USB stick full of client information
A solicitor who lost an unencrypted USB stick full of client information that was subsequently found by a member of the public has been rebuked by the SRA.
Law firm swaps regulator after enduring “bumpy journey”
A family law practice started by two solicitors has divorced the Bar Standards Board as its regulator and taken up with the Solicitors Regulation Authority after difficulties beset the relationship.
Solicitor jailed for stamp duty land tax fraud
A solicitor who falsified returns to HM Revenue & Customs so as to underpay stamp duty land tax and pocket the difference has been jailed for more than three years.
Insurance giant’s ABS hit with fine for money laundering failure
The alternative business structure owned by global insurance services firm Crawford & Company has been fined for failing to confirm that it had a compliant anti-money laundering risk assessment.
SQE will “move the bottleneck” from law schools to employers
The Solicitors Qualifying Exam will make it easier for people to qualify as solicitors but move the “bottleneck” to newly qualified roles, a leading academic and the training head of a major law firm have predicted.
Solicitor struck off after child pornography and cannabis convictions
A solicitor who received a suspended jail sentence after being convicted of making indecent images of children and producing cannabis has been struck off.
Blog
Price over local reputation – surely not!
There seems to be a suggestion that consumers might shop around away from their own location because there are significant price variations from region to region. But will they?
AML isn’t just a risk issue – it’s about client experience too
Something that gets forgotten among all this noise is the impact onerous AML rules have on client experience. It’s a source of friction and it reduces trust and confidence.
Breaking down barriers between fee-earners and finance teams
Many law firms grapple with a divide between fee-earners and finance teams, which can create friction that risks undermining regulatory requirements, profitability and client service.
