Compliance & Regulation
Multi-office firm fell into administration after sale fell through
West of England law firm BLB Solicitors was forced into administration after a sale fell through at a late stage, its administrators have revealed.
SRA seeks extra £25m from profession “to fix the foundations”
The Solicitors Regulation Authority today set out the initial cost of fixing its problems – a 29%, or £25m, increase in its funding for the 2026-27 practising year.
SRA and CILEX end talks on transferring regulation of legal executives
Work to transfer the regulation of CILEX members to the Solicitors Regulation Authority has come to an end, it has emerged.
“Panicked” solicitor who backdated document struck off
A solicitor who backdated a document and sent a misleading email to a client has been struck off, despite evidence he was experiencing significant mental health difficulties at the time.
BSB seeks power to appeal decision of health panels
The Bar Standards Board is to take a right of appeal against decisions of its health panels, which is currently restricted to the affected barrister.
LSB puts SRA under pressure amid fears of more law firm collapses
The Legal Services Board is to bear down on the Solicitors Regulation Authority amid concern that more collapses could follow the likes of Axiom Ince and PM Law.
FCA review to turn up heat on law firms and CMCs over claims work
The Financial Conduct Authority is stepping up pressure on claims management companies and law firms by launching a review of the claims management market.
Partner struck off for ‘witnessing’ unsigned leases
A partner who witnessed two leases as having been signed in his presence when they had not has been struck off by the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal.
Barrister accidentally sent “life-threatening information” to journalist
A barrister who accidentally sent confidential information about an immigration client to a journalist without his permission has been fined £10,000.
Dual FCA and SRA-regulated business goes into administration
A wealth management firm that a decade ago became one of the first to adopt dual regulation by the SRA and FCA has gone into administration after its key lawyer left.
Exclusive: AI-powered US firm targets UK after $60m fund-raise
A US company that last week announced a $60m Series A fund-raise is set to bring the model of a law firm backed by its AI system to England and Wales, Legal Futures can reveal.
Solicitor’s failure to redeem charges “a warning to profession”
The case of a solicitor who wrongly thought charges on a property had been removed is “a warning that even experienced professionals could make serious errors in judgment under extreme stress”.
Bar Council faces discrimination claim over Black interns scheme
The Bar Council is facing a discrimination claim over its 10,000 Black Interns programme by a white woman who says her application was rejected because of her race.
Partner who acted on Ponzi scheme fined £30k over conflict of interest
A partner who acted on what turned out to be a fraudulent Ponzi scheme has been fined £30,000 for accepting a role to protect the interest of the scheme’s bondholders.
SRA hands out first fixed penalties for AML information failures
The Solicitors Regulation Authority has issued the first fixed fines to firms that failed to provide it with information about their anti-money laundering and sanctions controls.
Blog
When the person who needs help is the partner
A law firm can have excellent support on paper and still have a serious gap. The gap is the person who cannot imagine using it.
SRA supervision and AI: what firms will be asked to prove
AI intensifies scrutiny of whether firms can demonstrate that they were in control of the systems through which legal services were delivered.
How ELD NextGen will improve employers’ liability tracing
The Employers’ Liability Tracing Office is continuing work towards the launch of ELD NextGen, the next generation of the employers’ liability database, in early 2027.
Reports
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