Compliance & Regulation


Prosecution of A&O partner over Weinstein NDA stayed

14 January 2021

A disciplinary tribunal has stayed proceedings against an Allen & Overy partner over the infamous non-disclosure agreement he helped negotiate on behalf of Harvey Weinstein, because of ill-health.


SDT “wrong” to strike out prosecution of Law Society president

13 January 2021

The Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal was wrong to throw out a private prosecution brought by a former client against the current president of the Law Society, the High Court has ruled.


Solicitor fined for role in £29m off-plan development schemes

12 January 2021

A solicitor has been fined £8,000 for failing to advise clients of the risks inherent in three off-plan development schemes which were not completed, putting nearly £30m at risk.


Solicitor used disbursement cash to keep firm afloat

11 January 2021

A solicitor who used disbursements meant for experts and counsel to keep his firm afloat – and lied to his regulator about the debts he was being chased for – has been struck off.


Solicitor who hid evidence of error “didn’t know what she was doing”

8 January 2021

An assistant solicitor who had a panic attack after missing a hearing and tried to destroy evidence that she had been notified about it has avoided being struck off.


Young solicitor who faked email in “moment of madness” avoids strike-off

7 January 2021

A young solicitor who amended an email to give a client a false impression of when it was sent has avoided being struck off for what a tribunal described as a “moment of madness”.


Court rejects solicitor’s claim that she hand-delivered files to SRA

7 January 2021

A solicitor failed to comply with court orders to produce files to the Solicitors Regulation Authority, a High Court master has ruled, despite her claim that she hand-delivered them.


Judge fines trio who provided unregulated legal advice

7 January 2021

Directors from two legal businesses which generated £2.5m in fees by providing unregulated immigration advice have been fined nearly £17,000 and ordered to pay over £28,000 in compensation.


Tribunal clears solicitor but refuses to order costs against SRA

6 January 2021

A solicitor has been cleared by a tribunal of misleading the court but failed in his bid for the Solicitors Regulation Authority to pay him almost £100,000 in costs as a result.


Complaint over law firm’s radio advert rejected

6 January 2021

A Merseyside law firm has been cleared of breaking Advertising Standards Authority rules with a radio advert that highlighted the fear of “a social worker at your door to take your child”.


UK unexpectedly reduces tax scheme reporting burden on firms

6 January 2021

The government has unexpectedly announced that DAC 6, an EU cross-border tax transparency rule with major implications for international law firms, will be rewritten in the wake of the Brexit trade deal.


Solicitor “took advantage” of daughter-in-law over flat purchase

5 January 2021

A solicitor who took unfair advantage of his own daughter-in-law by not completing his purchase of her flat and not telling her, and then renting it out for his own benefit, has been struck off.


SRA ordered to pay solicitor costs over botched prosecution

4 January 2021

A tribunal has ordered the Solicitors Regulation Authority to pay a solicitor £22,500 in costs after ruling that many of the allegations made against him were not properly brought.


Leading firms fined for accounts rules breaches

4 January 2021

Two well-known law firms have accepted fines from the SRA – one for allowing its client account to be used as a banking facility and the other for holding disbursements in its office account.


Struck-off solicitor receives pardon from President Trump

23 December 2020

A solicitor struck off for making false statements to the Mueller inquiry into alleged Russian involvement in the election of US president Donald Trump has received a presidential pardon.

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