Solicitors
‘Professionally embarrassed’ lawyers wrong to withdraw during murder trial
The legal team of a man accused of murder was wrong to withdraw during the trial but the move did not render his subsequent conviction unsafe, the Court of Appeal has ruled.
Solicitor allowed use of client account as £4.6m banking facility
A solicitor who let his firm’s client account be used as a banking facility for payments from clients’ investors totalling over £4.6m has been fined £15,000.
Another SRA prosecution fails but regulator avoids costs order
The Solicitors Regulation Authority was justified in prosecuting two law firm partners even though all of the allegations were dismissed, a tribunal has ruled.
Email attachments are not privileged just because message is
The Supreme Court has refused to interfere in a ruling that legal professional privilege which covers an email does not extend to any attachments.
Solicitor who misled tribunals on Ugandan law is struck off
A solicitor who misled the First-tier and Upper Tribunals in immigration cases about anti-gay legislation in Uganda has been struck off by the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal.
Veteran solicitor practised without insurance
A sole practitioner in his 70s has been struck off after practising for over six months without professional indemnity insurance, despite telling others he had cover.
High Court highlights “implausibility” of multi-hand fraud at City law firm
A court has highlighted the “implausibility” of multiple people from “a well-known firm of solicitors being involved in a fraudulent scheme” in dismissing a claim against Simmons & Simmons.
Herbert Smith paralegal banned for fake overtime approval
A former paralegal at City giant Herbert Smith Freehills has been banned from the solicitors’ profession after submitting multiple overtime claims with fake approvals on them.
Transparency failures put three firms in the dock
Law firms in London, Manchester and Bath have become the first sanctioned for failing to publish price and service information, with compliance made a condition of their authorisation.
Prosecution of A&O partner over Weinstein NDA stayed
A disciplinary tribunal has stayed proceedings against an Allen & Overy partner over the infamous non-disclosure agreement he helped negotiate on behalf of Harvey Weinstein, because of ill-health.
Blog
AI and client confidentiality: the next regulatory faultline
The area most likely to expose firms to regulatory jeopardy in 2026 needs far more guidance: client confidentiality in the age of commercial AI systems.
The UK’s global leadership in lawtech is at risk if women are left behind
Tech has the equivalent of an old boy’s network. That makes it harder for women to break in. It also makes it harder when it comes to networking, finding backers and ultimately clients.
How legal judgement is shifting in in-house practice
Across UK organisations, legal teams are now involved earlier in decision-making, often before proposals have taken a settled shape.
