Compliance & Regulation
Treat personal mitigation “with caution” in cases of sexual misconduct
Personal mitigation needs to be treated with “caution” in the context of sexual misconduct, discrimination and harassment, draft new guidance on disciplining barristers warns.
Law firm was akin to “slow-motion car crash”, tribunal finds
A law firm owner’s failures turned his practice into a “complete shambles” which was “akin to a slow-motion car crash occurring over a number of years”, the SDT has found.
Post Office scandal inquiry urged to put more focus on the lawyers
The inquiry into the Post Office Horizon scandal has been urged to put more focus on the role of lawyers in perpetuating the organisation’s intransigence over the IT system’s problems.
Barrister apprenticeships a “viable option”, specialist argues
Apprenticeships are a “viable option” to qualification as a barrister, but they would need collaboration between the Bar Standards Board, education providers and the Bar, a new paper has argued.
Leading firm rebuked for letting £21m pass through client account
A leading south-coast law firm that allowed its client account to be used as a banking facility, with £21m passing through it, has been rebuked.
CLC presses ahead with ‘polluter pays’ rule for ombudsman costs
The Council for Licensed Conveyancers is pressing ahead with its plan to introduce a ‘polluter pays’ element to how it recovers the cost of the Legal Ombudsman from those it regulates.
Solicitor threatened law firm in bid to have it withdraw complaint
A solicitor threatened his former law firm with blowing the whistle on alleged breaches of its legal aid contract in a bid to have it withdraw a complaint about him, it has emerged.
Former CPS solicitor rebuked for offensive Facebook posts
A solicitor who shared a petition from far-right group Britain First on her Facebook page while working for the Crown Prosecution Service has been rebuked by the SRA.
Partner duped by bogus solicitor and clients into paying away sale proceeds
A law firm owner whose “wholly inadequate” compliance systems led to him being duped by two bogus clients and by a bogus solicitor has been struck off.
Solicitors suspended for role in quick-sale property scheme
Two solicitors who breached the trust of vulnerable clients in need of cash by acting in a dodgy quick home sale scheme have been suspended from practice.
BSB mulls scrapping ineffective student aptitude test
The Bar Standards Board is considering whether to scrap the Bar course aptitude test after an analysis showed that fewer than 1% of students have failed it.
Solicitor who “considered herself to be the client” is struck off
A solicitor “considered herself to be the client” while operating under a lasting power of attorney, sending bills to herself and massively overcharging the elderly client involved.
Solicitor who stole £275,000 from client’s estate struck off
A solicitor who abused his position as the executor of an estate and stole £275,000 from it to spend on an “excessive lifestyle” has been struck off by the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal.
Barrister fined for tweet that “could promote hostility towards Muslims”
A barrister at the centre of a storm of outrage over tweets he published earlier this year has been fined and warned over one tweet that was offensive and “could promote hostility towards Muslims”.
Solicitor avoids strike-off for disabled badge dishonesty
A solicitor has been suspended for six months after being convicted of using a disabled parking badge with intent to deceive shortly after she qualified.
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.
