Compliance & Regulation
Solicitor struck off for lying over legal aid debt fails in appeal
A solicitor who lied about not having a bank account or any income other than benefits to avoid repaying a debt to the Legal Aid Agency has failed in his appeal against being struck off.
Crypto world opens up opportunities for solicitors, says SRA
Solicitors could improve their productivity by using distributed ledger technology but need to take care if a client wants to pay by cryptocurrency, the SRA has cautioned.
Barrister wins nine-year fight to overturn critical tribunal findings
The employment tribunal has set aside a ruling from 2014 that a former law firm director, now a barrister, was guilty of serious financial impropriety.
Solicitors may now avoid SDT for significant but inadvertent breaches
The Solicitors Regulation Authority’s new fining powers mean that significant but inadvertent breaches need no longer be referred to the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal, the pair have agreed.
RAC employee convicted of passing accident data to claims companies
A former employee of breakdown company RAC has been convicted of stealing the data of victims of road traffic accidents, which he then passed on to claims management companies.
SRA to throw spotlight on incompetence in the profession
The Solicitors Regulation Authority is to publish an annual competence report on the whole profession this summer, coupled with pro-actively targeting incompetent solicitors.
LeO bringing down backlog but will miss year-end target
The Legal Ombudsman closed more cases in the first nine months of its current year than it did in the whole of the previous 12 months – but is still behind schedule to slash its backlog.
Conveyancing fee-earner banned over £338,000 tax scam
A fee-earner who misappropriated at least £338,000 from her firm by making fraudulent land tax claims has been banned from the profession.
Axiom to enter regulation after obtaining ABS licence
Leading alternative legal services provider Axiom Law is entering regulation in England and Wales after winning approval for an alternative business structure.
Parliament ratchets up pressure on SRA and solicitors
Solicitors and their regulator have found themselves in the crosshairs of MPs and peers this week over strategic lawsuits against public participation and economic crime.
BSB to commission independent review of enforcement processes
The Bar Standards Board is to commission an “independent end-to-end” review of its enforcement processes in a bid to improve its much-criticised performance.
Rebuke for solicitor caught on camera making “lewd gesture”
A solicitor who was caught on camera making a “lewd gesture” at a colleague at the firm’s Christmas party has been rebuked by the Solicitors Regulation Authority.
LSB considers ban on NDAs unless employee asks for one
Lawyers could be banned from drafting NDAs in cases of sexual harassment, discrimination or whistleblowing unless the member of staff involved has asked for one.
Number of SRA investigations into SLAPPs continues to rise
The number of law firms being investigated for possible misconduct relating to SLAPPs has doubled since the summer to 40, the chief executive of the SRA revealed yesterday.
Increase in suspicious activity reports made by lawyers
The number of suspicious activity reports made by lawyers rose last year but continues to represent just a tiny fraction of reports received by the National Crime Agency.
Blog
Accountability has to live within governance, not with one person
The assumption has long been that a COLP or COFA is personally exposed to the consequences of anti-money laundering breaches.
The SRA’s client money reforms: good intentions, questionable execution
On the face of it, the SRA’s plans to tighten protections around client money sounds sensible. The detail, as ever, tells a more complicated story.
Recruitment, retention and reward in the legal accounts world
Understanding the legal finance market is important – not just for those actively involved in it day-to-day but also for leaders within law firms.
