Compliance & Regulation
Solicitor “did not perceive risk” of failing to witness PoA properly
A solicitor who failed to properly witness a power of attorney during the pandemic has received a suspended suspension.
FCA steps up campaign to warn consumers off law firms and CMCs
The Financial Conduct Authority has launched a £1m campaign to tell motor finance customers that they do not need to use a claims management company or law firm.
High-profile ABS owner cleared of wrongdoing over payments
The man who founded now-defunct Stobart Barristers and then bought two well-known criminal law firms, has been cleared of any wrongdoing around his business’s insolvency.
SDT makes order against Spanish lawyer after jurisdiction challenge
A former Spanish partner of City firm Ashurst has failed in a challenge to the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal’s jurisdiction in assessing his inappropriate conduct towards two female colleagues.
SDT clears newly qualified solicitor in “chaotic” firm
The Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal has dismissed all allegations against a newly qualified solicitor working in “a chaotic operational and management structure”.
Women barristers “disproportionately affected” by new complaints rule
Women will be “disproportionately adversely affected” by plans to introduce mandatory reporting by barristers of any complaints barristers receive, the Bar Council has warned.
Property owned by ex-wife of convicted solicitor sold
The SFO has secured £1.1m from the sale of a house following the first unexplained wealth order, issued against the ex-wife of the solicitor behind the Axiom Legal Financing Fund fraud.
Suspension for managing partner who fabricated client-care letter
A managing partner who fabricated a client-care letter and backdated it has been suspended for 12 months, after an allegation of dishonesty was dropped.
“Too many examples of judicial bullying,” says Lady Chief Justice
The Lady Chief Justice has acknowledged that a minority of judges fail to behave with the professionalism and courtesy expected of them.
Harman urges drastic action to end Bar’s “culture of impunity”
“Decisive and radical change” is needed at the Bar and the bench to reset a “culture of impunity” that allows those at the top to bully or harass others, the Harman review has concluded.
Solicitor suspended over trivial but dishonest email change
A solicitor who dishonestly made a minor amendment to an email when he forwarded it to a client – causing no harm to them or anyone else – has been suspended for a year.
Law Society plan for 10-fold rise in SGM threshold “shocking”
The group that last year requisitioned a special general meeting of the Law Society has described plans to make it much harder to do so in future as “shocking”.
AML reforms could see banks ask for details of solicitors’ clients
Proposed government changes to anti-money laundering rules around pooled client accounts could raise issues around client confidentiality and privilege, experts have warned.
Practising barrister named a tax avoidance promoter in HMRC first
A practising barrister has for the first time been added to HM Revenue & Customs’ list of tax avoidance promoters.
Public access barristers used mainly for advice, not representation
People who instruct barristers through the public access scheme are much more likely to be seeking advice than representation in court, new research has indicated.
Blog
Strong AML controls are meaningless with incomplete data
One expectation as the FCA takes control of anti-money laundering oversight is a move towards more supervision rather than simply writing new rules.
Navigating the legal AI productivity-profitability paradox
Firms are achieving efficiencies through AI, especially in the practice of law. Yet many are struggling to see that reflected in their financial outcomes
Regulation, growth and access to justice: why legal services need a reset
Well-intentioned consumer protections embedded in the regulation of legal services increasingly act as barriers to innovation, competition and access to justice.
