Compliance & Regulation

There is “growing evidence” that unregulated immigration lawyers are abusing the system, the government has claimed in unveiling beefed-up powers for the Immigration Advice Authority.

SSB Law has been accused of employing “unethical tactics” to retain clients who wanted to drop their cases and the Solicitors Regulation Authority condemned for its response.

The Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal has reprimanded a solicitor who did not comply with a direction from the Legal Ombudsman – but said it should not have reached the tribunal.

The structure of the Bar impedes the adoption of technology and innovation, but barristers need to do so to drive “a better and more efficient service for clients”, a BSB report has argued.

A law firm boss who told three personal injury clients their cases had succeeded when actually they had not, and even paid them damages, has been struck off.

A judge has strongly criticised the boss of a consumer claims law firm for giving false evidence and trying to force through a prepack administration sale in favour of his own newly incorporated firm.

A project exploring new funding streams for the not-for-profit legal advice sector – including interest on client accounts and levies of large law firms – went live this month.

A partner who misled his client and his supervising partner about the progress of the client’s visa application has been struck off.

A solicitor who successfully released money frozen in a client’s bank account then broke the accounts rules by having it transferred into her firm’s client account.

The Legal Services Board has trimmed its proposed budget increase for 2025-26 but it is still to rise by 11% – adding £3.05 onto every regulated lawyer’s practising fees.

Three former directors of a law firm have been rebuked for allowing it to accrue hundreds of dormant balances and five suspense ledgers that between them held £930,000.

“Exceptional” personal mitigation led a tribunal to reduce the suspension of a male barrister who harassed a woman at his chambers’ Christmas party below the indicative sentence.

A solicitor who practised while suspended has been struck off, while the law firm owner who unwittingly employed him received a suspended sentence.

A law firm owner has been suspended for not disclosing conflicts of interest to clients, including that his wife was a director of the property development company they were buying from.

Solicitors are set to pay £38m towards being represented by the Law Society after it announced plans for a 2% rise in the income it takes from the annual practising fees.