Compliance & Regulation
FCA to take over anti-money laundering supervision of all lawyers
The Financial Conduct Authority is to take over responsibility for supervising lawyers’ anti-money laundering activities, the government announced today.
“Cowardly” solicitor lied to client about claim for over 10 years
A self-confessed “cowardly” solicitor who lied to a client for more than 10 years after her medical negligence claim was thrown out has been struck off.
“Decisive reform” needed to restore public trust after SSB scandal
The collapse of SSB Law and the SRA’s failures in supervising it demand “decisive reform” to restore public confidence, the Legal Services Consumer Panel has warned.
SSB: SRA under pressure from profession and victims
Accountability for the Solicitors Regulation Authority’s failures in its supervision of SSB Law “must go further”, the group representing its former clients has said.
Struck-off solicitor now jailed for £400,000 theft from two law firms
A struck-off solicitor and former deputy district judge who defrauded his clients at two law firms of nearly £400,000 over the course of 17 years has been jailed for four years.
“We messed up” – apologetic SRA to be censured for SSB failures
The Solicitors Regulation Authority has apologised for failures in its oversight of SSB Law and is set to be censured for them by the Legal Services Board.
SSB report: What went wrong and how to avoid a repeat
We summarise the key findings of the Carson McDowell report into the SRA’s handling of SSB and the recommendations it makes to avoid a repeat.
SSB report: The timeline of missed opportunities
At the heart of the report into the SRA’s handling of SSB Law is the argument that the regulator missed opportunities to act earlier. This is what happened and when.
Abuse survivors “should get legal aid to tackle SLAPPs”
Survivors of sexual and gender-based violence in the UK should get legal aid to defend themselves against SLAPPs, a report has argued, calling also for more action by legal regulators.
Ban for trainee lawyer who helped fugitive brother flee UK
A trainee property lawyer who helped her brother flee the country so he could avoid prosecution for murder has been disqualified from working for law firms.
Head of family law cleared of serious wrongdoing over decree nisi
A senior family lawyer has been cleared of dishonesty and lack of integrity over an application for a decree nisi that was not made and remained outstanding for a year.
Mazur: LSB to review past guidance issued on litigation rights
The LSB is to review how all the regulators and representative bodies have “ensured that information on conducting litigation was accurate and reliable”, in the wake of the Mazur ruling.
Solicitor who did not disclose “catastrophic” evidence struck off
A personal injury solicitor who withheld a piece of evidence he knew would be “catastrophic” to his client’s case has been struck off.
“No incentive” for private equity investors to dilute firms’ ethics
There is no reason why a law firm backed by private equity would be “less professionally ethical” than one owned by its lawyer-partners, a regulatory specialist has argued.
Strike-off for solicitor who misled client, court and law firm
A solicitor who misled her divorce client, the Family Court and the owner of her law firm – leading to the client being issued with a penal notice – has been struck off.
Blog
Beyond the PII premium – rethinking risk
Professional indemnity insurance renewal is often treated as an annual pricing exercise. But it is also a chance to show how effectively you identify, manage and mitigate risk.
The AI governance gap in law firms and why it matters now
A third of law firms are already using AI tools with no formal policy in place to govern how AI gets used, what data goes into it, or who’s accountable when something goes wrong.
Information isn’t oversight – lessons from the PM Law review
The PM Law review’s real findings perhaps point to a failure mode applying to any organisation sitting on scattered risk information.
Reports
Associates
