Compliance & Regulation
Partner who used client’s estate to buy a house struck off
A solicitor who used money from a client’s estate to buy a house he then lived in has been struck off, with the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal saying the public would be “horrified” by his actions.
CILEX calls in ex-LSB chief as it considers whether to change regulator
CILEX has commissioned Chris Kenny, the original chief executive of the Legal Services Board, to review whether it should continue delegating its regulatory responsibilities to CILEx Regulation.
LSB approves scrapping of Bar student aptitude test
The Bar Standards Board can go ahead with its plan to scrap the Bar course aptitude test, the Legal Services Board has decided – even though it may have led to a fall in course failure rates.
Insurance and client capability are “main barriers” to unbundling
The availability of professional indemnity insurance and the capability of clients are the main concerns for law firms looking at unbundled services, research has indicated.
Scotland “polarised” on single legal services regulator
Views on whether Scotland should introduce a single legal regulator remain polarised, with consumers backing “radical changes”, while lawyers argue that it would undermine their independence.
Stop advising clients to pay cyber-ransoms, lawyers told
Some lawyers are wrongly advising clients to pay ransoms when they fall victim to cyber-attacks, the National Cyber Security Centre and Information Commissioner’s Office have warned.
Resolution embraces ‘one lawyer, one couple’ approach to divorce
Family lawyers group Resolution is to start promoting the ‘one lawyer, two clients’ model for divorce that both law firms and unregulated providers are starting to offer.
Licensed conveyancer firms face tougher rules on diversity
Law firms regulated by Council for Licensed Conveyancers face new rules designed to make sure they deliver data on staff diversity and report complaints of discrimination and harassment.
High Court criticises SDT for “sweeping anonymity orders”
The High Court has criticised the SDT for taking it upon itself to issue “sweeping anonymity orders” in respect of all the third parties in a case about a solicitor’s social media posts.
Solicitor’s “oversight” saw £68,000 paid to conveyancing fraudster
A law firm owner who fell victim to a conveyancing fraud and transferred £68,000 to a bank account without checking the details has been rebuked by the Solicitors Regulation Authority.
Firm ordered to pay wasted costs over lack of authority to act
A law firm has been ordered to pay wasted costs of £7,920 for not satisfying itself that the director of a company in deadlock with the other director had the authority to give it instructions.
Rugby and football club boss sanctioned by SDT still “fit and proper” owner
The rugby and football club owner sanctioned by the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal last week says he will be able to continue in those roles as he remains a ‘fit and proper person’.
Firm owner and consultant sanctioned for €9m supercar failures
A solicitor failed to supervise an unadmitted consultant who allowed his firm’s client account to be used by a foreign royal as a banking facility in a bid to buy three supercars.
Immigration advice scammer jailed for absconding while on bail
A man who fled to Dubai after he was found guilty of an immigration advice scam has been imprisoned on his return to the UK. He was one of three people convicted of multiple offences.
Complaints about claims management companies continue to fall
The number of complaints about claims management companies continues to fall, the Financial Ombudsman Service says as it consider charging professional representatives to make one.
Blog
Our vision for 2026: A shared approach to AML
We want to see law firms start taking AML compliance as seriously as it deserves. This means treating it not as a tick-box exercise or a procedural necessity, but as a serious part of company culture.
Why later-life divorce requires a distinct professional framework
Later-life divorce, often described as ‘silver splitter’ or ‘grey divorce’ cases, is no longer a marginal feature of family law practice. It challenges long-standing assumptions about how divorce work is done.
Listening, learning and leading The Solicitor’s Charity with care
As I prepare to hand over the mantle of chair of The Solicitor’s Charity next month, it doesn’t feel like an end. Instead, it feels like a wonderful journey.
