Compliance & Regulation
Ombudsman boss set to swap housing for legal services
The current housing ombudsman, Richard Blakeway, is set to become chair of the Office for Legal Complaints, which is the board of the Legal Ombudsman.
Senior partner suspended over drunken conduct towards four women
A male senior partner who made inappropriate sexual remarks to four more junior female colleagues while drunk at his firm’s Christmas party has been suspended for a year.
Concerns about solicitors reported to SRA hit new high
The rise in the number of concerns about solicitors reported to the Solicitors Regulation Authority is accelerating and will have a knock-on effect on investigations.
“Come and join us”, CLC tells conveyancing and probate specialists
Solicitors’ firms specialising in conveyancing and probate should know there is an alternative to the SRA, the chief executive of the Council for Licensed Conveyancers has said.
Litigation begins to fly between SRA and Axiom Ince insurer
The Solicitors Regulation Authority is being sued by Axiom Ince’s insurer in two sets of proceedings – and is making a claim of its own against the insurer, it emerged yesterday.
Conveyancing regulator kicks off referral fee review
The Council for Licensed Conveyancers has begun its review of referral fees in the profession but suggested the regulation of estate agents would help deal with concerns about them.
Strike-off for solicitor who fabricated employment tribunal document
An in-house lawyer who lied to Leeds Employment Tribunal and fabricated a notice of a hearing at another tribunal to secure an adjournment has been struck off.
SRA: Client money missing in “potential fraud” at PM Law
The Solicitors Regulation Authority has uncovered a “potential fraud” at PM Law – which collapsed suddenly a fortnight ago – and client money is missing, it confirmed today.
Coroner struck off for underplaying allegations made against him
A solicitor coroner has been struck off for underplaying the seriousness of a criminal investigation he was facing when reporting it to the Chief Coroner’s Office.
Peers back widening eligibility to become Crown prosecutors
The House of Lords last week backed government plans to expand eligibility to become Crown prosecutors to CILEX lawyers and other non-solicitors and barristers.
Legal Services Board urged to ratchet up focus on SRA
The Legal Services Board should increase its oversight of the SRA to ensure the failures around Axiom Ince and SSB Group are not repeated, the Law Society has said.
SRA ordered to make £400k interim costs payment to Zahawi solicitor
The Solicitors Regulation Authority has been ordered to make an interim costs payment of £400,000 to the solicitor for former Conservative Chancellor Nadeem Zahawi.
PM Law clients receiving files and emergency payments
The Solicitors Regulation Authority has begun making emergency payments to clients of collapsed law firm PM Law, it revealed yesterday.
Veteran solicitor who misled mortgage provider struck off
A solicitor’s 50-year legal career has ended with being struck off after he misled a mortgage lender about when completion on a conveyancing transaction had taken place.
Strike-off for advocate who lied about arriving after court hearing
A self-employed advocate who lied in an attendance note about a court hearing in an attempt to cover up the fact he had missed it, has been struck off.
Blog
Is your Google Ads budget funding your competitors’ AI visibility?
If your cost-per-click has crept up again this year, you’ve probably assumed the market simply got more expensive. That’s the wrong way to read what’s happening.
Containing the spread of unapproved AI
Nearly 60% of fee-earners admit to using unapproved tools (like free versions of ChatGPT). Yet 68% of firm leaders are confident there is zero risk of unapproved AI being used for client work.
When AI adoption goes wrong, costs add up fast
City AM recently reported that London is fighting to claim the title of ‘global capital of legal AI’. However, it’s crucial we remember that adoption alone does not create value.
