Compliance & Regulation
Veteran barrister disbarred after “prolonged period of incompetence”
A veteran barrister has been disbarred after a “prolonged period of incompetence” during which he operated from chambers condemned by the BSB as “disorganised and chaotic”.
UWO will investigate how jailed ex-solicitor’s wife bought house
The unexplained wealth order issued against the ex-wife of the struck-off solicitor behind the Axiom Legal Financing Fund fraud will investigate whether her home was bought with tainted funds.
SRA to revise fining guidance on economic crime and drink driving
The Solicitors Regulation Authority is working to activate its power to issue unlimited fines in cases involving economic crime, it has emerged.
Paralegals receive formal recognition with CILEX ‘chartered’ title
CILEX has introduced the first formal recognition of paralegals after receiving Privy Council approval to amend its Royal Charter and introduce the title of CILEX chartered paralegal.
Eversheds staffer created invoices for pro bono case
A former Eversheds Sutherland employee who created invoices for a pro bono matter he brought to the firm has been banned from the profession.
SRA seeks extra £11m as complaints about solicitors soar 20%
A “significant and sustained increase” in the number of reports about solicitor misconduct is fuelling the SRA’s plans for an £11m increase in its budget to £168m.
Legal Services Board ratchets up pressure over BSB performance
The Bar Standards Board is not improving its performance with “sufficient urgency or pace”, the oversight regulator has concluded.
Judge condemns lawyers who produced “fake citations” to court
The High Court has ordered that a barrister and the solicitors who instructed her be referred to their regulators after providing five fake case citations in their pleadings.
Mahmood: SSB and Axiom Ince show need for Legal Services Board
The collapses of SSB Law and Axiom Ince indicate a continuing need for the Legal Services Board despite the government’s focus on cutting red tape, the Lord Chancellor said last week.
Rebuke for solicitor who made baseless perjury threat
A solicitor who emailed an opposing litigant after they instructed lawyers and made baseless threats of perjury against them has been rebuked.
SDT rejects solicitor’s “meritless” appeal over undertaking breach
The Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal has rejected an appeal by a solicitor against a fine of £7,500 imposed on him by an SRA adjudication panel, describing it as having no merit.
Jail for property solicitor who defrauded own firm of £160k
A long-serving property solicitor who defrauded a Hereford law firm out of £160,000 by diverting disbursement payments into her own bank account has been jailed for 30 months.
Judge overturns suspension of barrister who lied to client about papers
It was “clearly inappropriate” for a Bar disciplinary tribunal to suspend a barrister who lied to a direct access client over papers that were accidentally destroyed by his chambers.
Suspension for solicitor “who would not allow firm to be regulated”
A law firm owner who failed to pay a wasted costs order as well as four fines imposed by the Solicitors Regulation Authority has been suspended for six months.
New powers for regulator to crack down on immigration advisers
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.
Blog
From ‘year zero’ to £6.5m – how a law firm found its second life
In 2018, I hit what I call ‘year zero’. On paper, Olliers Solicitors was a top-tier criminal defence firm but beneath the surface, I could see we were at a crossroads.
Linklaters’ chief growth officer takes the ‘blank sheet’ challenge
In the third and final part of this series, Lucy Murphy, chief growth officer at magic circle firm Linklaters, outlines her vision for the law firm of the future.
The ‘blank sheet’ challenge, part 2 – what would you do differently?
In the second part of this blog series, Shainul Kassam, managing director of small London firm Fortune Law, sets out how she would set up a law firm now.
