Other lawyers
Licensed conveyancers to embrace third-party managed accounts
A revised accounts code that expressly allows firms of licensed conveyancers to use third-party managed accounts has been approved by the Legal Services Board.
Legal regulators cool on the idea of being abolished
Legal regulators have reacted coolly to the recommendation of Professor Stephen Mayson that they be replaced by a single organisation, arguing instead the case for specialism.
Shut-down firm ordered to pay former staff £375,000
A law firm shut down by its regulator last year has been ordered to pay former staff £375,000 for multiple employment law breaches.
Bar Council and BSB cut costs as Scots slash fees for solicitors
The Bar Council and Bar Standards Board have announced a series of measures – including furloughing – to make savings of more than £200,000 to support the profession during the Covid-19 crisis.
Regulators “confirm commitment” to Legal Choices amid control dispute
Seven of the eight frontline regulators have “confirmed their continued commitment” to the Legal Choices website, despite the Solicitors Regulation Authority no longer wanting to run it.
LSB questions Bar regulator’s decision-making
The Legal Services Board is launching a formal review of the Bar Standards Board’s leadership and decision-making in the wake of its controversial decision to stop funding the Legal Choices website.
CLC allows firms to defer payment of regulatory fees
The Council for Licensed Conveyancers has become the first regulator to offer financial help during the coronavirus crisis, allowing the firms it regulates to defer the regulatory fees they pay.
Government identifies justice system’s keyworkers
Legal professionals involved in court and tribunal hearings, as well as those advising people deprived of their liberty or on executing wills are ‘keyworkers’, the Ministry of Justice has said.
“Strong improvement” in AML oversight by regulators
There has been a “strong improvement” among the legal regulators in their approach to anti-money laundering, their oversight body has reported.
CMA worried about conveyancer reliance on developers
The Competition and Markets Authority has expressed concern that conveyancers’ advice to leasehold clients may be compromised by their relationships with developers.
LSB ramp ups pressure on regulatory independence
The Legal Services Board is ramping up pressure on the Law Society, the Bar Council and other approved regulators over ensuring the independence of their regulatory arms.
CLC moves closer to approving third-party managed accounts
Firms of licensed conveyancers will only be able to use third-party managed accounts if it is in each client’s best interests, their regulator has proposed.
Conveyancing revolution to hit over next decade
The role of the conveyancer is undoubtedly going to change as much of the administrative side of the role becomes automated over the coming years, a new report has predicted.
BSB and SRA in firing line over shortcomings
The Bar Standards Board has been told that it needs to act more quickly on how it plans to educate the public about barristers after its widely criticised decision to stop funding Legal Choices.
LSB could start reviewing regulators’ disciplinary files
The Legal Services Board could start reviewing regulators’ case files to increase its oversight of the quality of their disciplinary decisions in the wake of the Leigh Day case, it has emerged.
Blog
It’s time for law firms to ask tougher questions
For years, many law firms have treated ID verification as a box-ticking exercise. Run a liveness check, match a face to a document and move on. But that is no longer good enough.
Business fatigue to AI will risk job security
Whilst we know professional learning has always been part of career paths, to hire, retain and keep talent, AI needs to be embedded as a core part of this training.
On good authority? GenAI and the reputational risks to law firms
As GenAI’s influence grows, so do the risks which are already playing out in courtrooms across England and Wales, where some early adopters are setting precedents they would rather not.
