Compliance & Regulation

A solicitor who falsely recorded 100 hours of time to help meet her billing targets has been struck off, despite recognition of the mental health issues she was facing at the time.

The Law Society has put the focus on the SRA to give the profession guidance on what amounts to supervision following the Mazur ruling.

The Solicitors Regulation Authority has been told to leave employment issues such as bullying, harassment, discrimination and sexual misconduct to law firms and the courts.

A law firm run by an ex-Law Society president has failed in an appeal against a £68,000 fine imposed by the Solicitors Regulation Authority for anti-money laundering failures.

The decision to deny the Legal Ombudsman the budget it needs could see consumers waiting more than a year for the outcome of their complaint by 2028.

The Law Society has yet to decide whether to appeal last week’s Mazur ruling, while the SRA is reviewing investigations that followed the High Court ruling.

Eight out of 10 current and former SQE candidates do not consider the exam is fit for purpose or good value for money, a survey by the National Junior Lawyers Division has found.

Rulings by Bar disciplinary tribunals which clear barristers of misconduct are to be published in all cases, not only where requested, the Bar Standards Board has decided.

The use of unqualified advocates by agencies has “the potential to undermine the integrity of the legal system”, a judge has ruled.

A solicitor who acted for hundreds of women in vaginal mesh claims has been struck off for “deplorable” conduct which involved “a profound failure to protect his clients’ interests”.

The Bar Standards Board has rejected a complaint made against a barrister by the Good Law Project on behalf of a trans woman over multiple social media posts.

The Court of Appeal has overturned the decision in Mazur, holding that an unauthorised person can conduct litigation so long as they are under the supervision of an authorised lawyer.

The Court of Appeal ruling in Mazur is “a victory for CILEX members” but also for access to justice, consumers and the profession, the organisation has declared.

A solicitor, described by a district judge as a “dishonest fraudster” who “consistently lied” to the court and to his law firm, has been struck off.

The FCA has promised “robust action” against law firms and CMCs that engage in “sharp practices” around the finalised motor finance compensation scheme.