Compliance & Regulation
Barristers’ social media activity causes spike in complaints to BSB
Complaints about contentious social media posts by barristers have fuelled a jump of a third in reports to the Bar Standards Board, cases described as “inherently complex”.
Uncertainty over advocates’ immunity could have “chilling effect”
A High Court ruling casting uncertainty over the immunity of advocates for what they say and do in court could have a “chilling effect”, the Bar Council has warned.
Barrister loses appeal against disbarment over immigration work
A barrister disbarred for supervising an immigration firm whose registration had been cancelled by the Immigration Advice Agency has failed in his appeal against the decision.
Treasury sets out reforms to Money Laundering Regulations
The government has outlined how it will improve the anti-money laundering regime by publishing a slew of planned changes to the underlying regulations.
LSB: Regulatory action needed to tackle law’s diversity problems
The profession has failed to make “significant progress in tackling the structural and cultural barriers to encouraging equality and diversity”, the LSB has declared.
SRA to quiz volume claims firms about compliance
The Solicitors Regulation Authority is to demand assurances from firms conducting volume consumer claims that they are meeting their professional obligations.
TPMAs “could help” law firms, says National Risk Assessment
The emergence of third-party managed accounts “may, in time, reduce” the risk of law firms’ client accounts being used by criminals for money laundering, the government said yesterday.
BSB clears silk over Supreme Court trans ruling criticism
The Bar Standards Board has rejected a complaint against high-profile KC Jolyon Maugham over his criticism of the Supreme Court’s ruling in the For Women Scotland case.
Law firm COO used company credit card for £300k of personal spend
The chief operating officer of a law firm found to have used her company credit card for £300,000 of personal expenses has been disqualified from working in the profession.
Legal regulators advise MPs on changing code of conduct
The chief executives of the Solicitors Regulation Authority and Bar Standards Board yesterday recommended MPs adopt a principles-based approach to regulating outside interests.
Firms, not solicitors, to feel impact of 11% rise in cost of practising
The cost of practising as a solicitor is set to increase by 11%, or £16.6m, in the next year, although the financial impact will be felt by firms rather than individuals.
Disciplinary tribunal fines law firm £58,000 for AML breaches
The Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal has fined an East London law firm £58,000 for anti-money laundering rule breaches over a six-year period.
Big rise in complaints about SRA’s handling of intervention files
The number of clients complaining to the Solicitors Regulation Authority about its failure to retrieve their documents after it shut down a firm has shot up by over 50%.
Law firm named by LeO hits out at “egregious” decision
One of the law firms named by the Legal Ombudsman in the first three full findings it has published has described the decision to do so as “egregious”.
Chambers distances itself from barrister over aggressive tweets
Garden Court Chambers has distanced itself from comments made by a pro-Palestinian member, which included him telling one X user to “Get my name out of your mouth, fascist-Zionist scum”.
Blog
What LeO’s data tells us about client service in personal injury
With court backlogs, insurer delays and increasingly complex cases, maintaining client care in personal injury work can be difficult, but the data suggests the industry is falling short.
Your landlord clients have prepared for the wrong law
Lawyers advising major landlords and build-to-rent operators have spent the better part of a year on the Renters’ Rights Act. A good deal of that advice has been aimed at the wrong risk.
Your website is losing clients before they even pick up the phone
Your website visitor is likely already carrying stress before they arrive. If your site adds to it rather than relieves it, you have likely lost a prospective client.
Reports
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