Compliance & Regulation
CMCs still pushing out “misleading and unfair” advertising
Claims management companies are still producing “misleading, unclear and unfair advertising”, the Financial Conduct Authority has said.
Unrepentant barrister disbarred for breaking Supreme Court embargo
The barrister found in contempt of court by the Supreme Court after he released its embargoed ruling on the planned third runway for Heathrow airport has now been disbarred.
And then there were two – SRA shuts another Metamorph firm
The Solicitors Regulation Authority last week closed down yet another firm in the Metamorph Law Group, leaving just two still operating.
Firm handed largest-ever fine for transparency rules non-compliance
The Solicitors Regulation Authority has fined a law firm that did not comply with its transparency rules £3,500, the highest penalty it has issued for the offence.
BSB returns to “part fund” Legal Choices website
Legal Choices, the consumer-facing website which since 2019 has been paid for by all the legal regulators apart from the Bar Standards Board, is now receiving “part funding” from the BSB.
MPs criticise rugby bosses for response to club owner’s SDT sanction
MPs have criticised the Rugby Football Union for not taking action against an owner of a leading club who was banned from working for law firms.
Government to give SRA power to demand more information from firms
The government is to extend the SRA’s powers to demand information from solicitors and firms beyond money laundering matters to economic crime more generally.
Law firm fined record £20,000 for “reckless” AML breaches
The Solicitors Regulation Authority has fined an Oxfordshire law firm a record £20,000 after finding it “reckless” in failing to comply with the anti-money laundering requirements.
LawtechUK: Regulatory risks of AI “inhibiting law firm adoption”
Hesitation about adopting artificial intelligence by law firms nervous of the risks presented by a regulatory grey area is causing a bottleneck that needs to be cleared.
Failure to comply with Legal Services Act “did not invalidate indictment”
A council’s failure to ensure either a lawyer or ‘exempt’ individual served a Crown Court indictment did not “automatically invalidate” it, the Court of Appeal has ruled.
CILEX strengthens position with Institute of Paralegals acquisition
CILEX has acquired the Institute of Paralegals and its Professional Paralegal Register as it looks to strengthen its position as the body for specialist legal professionals.
Barrister who practised while suspended is disbarred
A barrister who held himself out as practising while he in fact he was serving a suspension has been disbarred after his fourth appearance before a disciplinary tribunal.
Ban for police station representative who illicitly contacted jailed client
An experienced police station representative who communicated with a jailed client via a mobile phone he should not have had has been banned from the profession.
SRA sanctioned for wrongly publishing trainee’s ban
The Solicitors Regulation Authority has been sanctioned in costs after prematurely stating that it had banned a former trainee solicitor from working for law firms.
BSB performance in the red as LSB raises SRA enforcement concerns
Pressure on the Bar Standards Board to improve its performance ratcheted up today after it scored by far the worst of all the legal regulators in the Legal Services Board’s annual assessment.
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.
