Compliance & Regulation
FCA to steer motor finance consumers away from legal action
The Financial Conduct Authority is to discourage consumers from pursuing motor finance claims in court, even if they might recover more damages.
Police filmed solicitor acting for both complainant and defendant
A criminal defence lawyer who was filmed by police advising the complainant in a domestic abuse case while acting for the person accused of headbutting her has been suspended.
Law firm takes down Mazur advice after “unprofessional” responses
A Cardiff law firm criticised for offering to advise people on challenging their solicitors’ fees off the back of the Mazur ruling has removed its promotion of the service.
SQE1 pass-rate falls to lowest-ever level
The pass-rate for the first part of the Solicitors Qualifying Exam has fallen to an all-time low, new figures from the Solicitors Regulation Authority have shown.
Four regulators team up to target motor finance law firms and CMCs
Four regulators have joined forces to tackle misleading advertising and inadequate information provided by some law firms and CMCs working on motor finance claims.
SRA ordered to pay £27k costs over “seriously irregular” decision
The Solicitors Regulation Authority has been ordered to pay a woman £27,000 in costs after its decision to ban her from working for law firms was quashed.
Reprimand for barrister who swore at probation staff
A barrister who made inappropriate comments to probation staff in a case where he was instructed by the Probation Service has been reprimanded.
LSB brings regulators together to discuss Mazur ruling
The Legal Services Board is convening a meeting of the frontline regulators next week to discuss the continuing fall-out from the Mazur ruling, Legal Futures can reveal.
SDT rejects appeal from banned legal assistant
The Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal has rejected an appeal from a legal assistant banned by the Solicitors Regulation Authority from working for law firms.
Tribunal rejects solicitor’s appeal over failed exam
The First-tier Tribunal has rejected an appeal by a solicitor who failed the exam to become an immigration law adviser and said he should not have had to take it in the first place.
Mazur: SRA breaks silence and lawyer cites it to justify bill
The Solicitors Regulation Authority has broken its silence on the Mazur case to stress that it has not changed the existing legal position.
Lawyers question whether High Court got Mazur right
Lawyers have been questioning whether the High Court was right in its contentious ruling in Mazur on the conduct of litigation, with the CPR key in the debate.
AML changes will heap “significant compliance burdens” on firms
Government changes to anti-money laundering rules around pooled client accounts could cause “significant and uncertain compliance burdens” for law firms.
Strike-off for solicitor who gave SDT false statement of means
A solicitor who completed a “false and misleading” statement of means for a Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal hearing has been struck off.
Hacked law firm and barristers named in second wave of LeO decisions
The Legal Ombudsman has today published 10 of its final decisions in full, only the second release of public interest findings, and names barristers for the first time.
Blog
Small steps, big impact: how SME law firms are making legal tech work
For SME law firms, the priority is turning the potential of tech into measurable impact: success is driven not just by the technology, but by how firms approach planning and implementation.
Why housing disrepair claims against councils have leapt by nearly 400%
Housing disrepair claims against councils have surged dramatically in recent years, with some areas reporting increases approaching a staggering 400%.
Client accounts: Opportunity, obligation and the risks in between
The profitability gap between well-run firms and the rest is not primarily a function of size, location or practice area – it is a function of financial management.
