Solicitors
Solicitor paid himself over £800k from litigation funding schemes
A solicitor who paid himself £817,000 out of litigation funding schemes set up to back his law firm has been struck off by the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal.
From 100% to 37% – huge variation in LPC providers’ pass rates
Some institutions teaching the legal practice course have recorded 100% pass rates, while others are under 50%, and a performance gap based on student ethnicity continues.
Court refuses to overturn solicitor’s sole practitioner ban
The High Court has rejected a solicitor’s appeal against a decision to ban him from working as a sole practitioner, after a tribunal found he had been “sloppy, lazy and careless”.
Supervising solicitor “told paralegal to lie” to barrister
An experienced personal injury paralegal who lied to a barrister and legal expenses insurer “on instruction from her supervising solicitor” has been prohibited from working for law firms without permission.
SRA defends tribunal over bullied whistleblower
The chief executive of the Solicitors Regulation Authority has spoken out in defence of the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal over its decision to strike off bullied whistleblower Emily Scott.
“Web sweep” of 500 firms to check prices are published
The Solicitors Regulation Authority is to carry out randomised “web sweeps” of around 500 law firms over the next few months to check they are publishing fees for certain consumer and business transactions.
Firm sent letters with Latin phrases despite client’s learning difficulty
A law firm sent a vulnerable client letters full of Latin and technical phrases, despite being repeatedly told the client had a learning difficulty and needed communications to be in plain English, according to the Legal Ombudsman.
LSB closes Law Society investigation after censure prompts reform
The Legal Services Board has closed its investigation into the Law Society’s governance arrangements – which led to an unprecedented public censure last year – after a series of reforms.
Solicitor put “financial gain for family” before clients
A solicitor who let her daughter live rent-free in a probate property amid a string of offences – including allowing a client to make her a beneficiary of their will – has been struck off.
Solicitor grabbed £90,000 of client money to pay tax bill
A solicitor who took £90,000 from client account to pay his personal tax bill and avoid bankruptcy has been struck off by the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal.
Blog
Automation in personal injury claims: The evolving legal risks
As automation tools become more sophisticated, they are increasingly used for more complex tasks, such as interpreting evidence and informing case strategy, particular in the PI sector.
A new era of legal operations
What we are seeing in the UK legal market is extraordinary change that will greatly influence how firms operate and compete for years to come.
Strong AML controls are meaningless with incomplete data
One expectation as the FCA takes control of anti-money laundering oversight is a move towards more supervision rather than simply writing new rules.
