Compliance & Regulation

Performance at the Legal Ombudsman is finally improving, with more cases being closed, but dealing with the backlog is only lengthening wait times for new complainants.

New forms of intervention introduced in other countries to ensure the ongoing competence of lawyers – such as annual assessments and greater self-reflection – will influence reform in England and Wales.

The Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal has refused to remove conditions on the practising certificate of a 63-year-old solicitor who said he wanted to recover his “pride and dignity”.

The Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal has refused to terminate an indefinite suspension imposed on a solicitor a decade ago, saying he had not proved he was ready to return to practise.

A solicitor used “vulnerable” clients’ money for his own purposes, as well as holding onto cash for disbursements and leaving client damages in his office account, has been struck off.

A barrister sanctioned for talking to the opposing lay client in the absence of their lawyer had switched from criminal to family law and “was simply not on top” of the rules, it has emerged.

The Bar Standards Board is taking action against the barrister who caused a storm of outrage by tweeting about “the stroppy teenager of colour”, he has confirmed.

The Solicitors Regulation Authority has backed down over its controversial plan to cut the maximum award from its Compensation Fund from £2m to £500,000.

The Law Society has outlined its opposition to the idea that law firms be required to signpost clients to review websites as part of moves to generate indicators of providers’ quality.

The Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal has rejected a bid by a solicitor cleared of most of the allegations made against him for a contribution to the £143,000 he spent defending himself.

Law firms are not being held to account for “toxic” work cultures, particularly where there is a lot of pressure on young lawyers, a leading expert on regulation has said.

A solicitor who misled hundreds of investors and attracted £19m to bring claims for miscalculated mortgage payments – none of which succeeded – has been struck off.

Owners of law firms that closed down in the last 20 years have been warned that they face a difficult task in finding insurance to replace the automatic supplementary run-off cover that ends later this year.

The founder of new-model law firm Cubism Law has explained how he “totally cracked” under the pressure of its financial problems, leading him to dishonestly misappropriate client funds.

A solicitor convicted of drink-driving after a motorbike accident did not automatically undermine public trust in the profession, the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal has ruled.