Compliance & Regulation
Rebukes for solicitors over inadequate service and not passing on cash
An experienced partner who failed to give a divorce client competent advice, leading to costs orders against the client, herself and her firm, has been rebuked.
Bar tribunal hands ‘opera assault’ lawyer harsher sanction than SRA
A dual-qualified lawyer convicted of beating a man in a confrontation at the Royal Opera House has been handed a harsher sanction by a Bar disciplinary tribunal than the SRA.
Barrister convicted of harassing ex-partner suspended from practice
A barrister convicted of harassing his former partner with a barrage of “very abusive, insulting and irrational” emails has been suspended for nine months by a disciplinary tribunal.
Solicitors sanctioned for inadequate advice over care home rooms
A solicitor who failed to advise clients adequately over the high risks of buying and subletting rooms in care homes has been fined, with the newly qualified who worked with him rebuked.
IT worker banned for stealing laptops from major City law firm
A member of IT staff at City giant Ashurst who stole two laptops from the firm and sold them on has been banned from working in the profession.
BSB rules loom large in row over Israel arrest warrants
UK Lawyers for Israel has confirmed it is to complain to the Bar Standards Board about the conduct of International Criminal Court prosecutor Karim Khan KC.
Gender-critical barristers’ alarm at BSB equality rule reform
Two barristers with high-profile gender-critical views have expressed alarm at the Bar Standards Board’s proposed rewrite of its equality rules.
Barristers set for positive duty to advance equality and diversity
Barristers will have a positive duty to act “in a way that advances equality, diversity and inclusion” under a shake-up of the equality rules launched by the Bar Standards Board.
CILEx Regulation pushes ahead with transparency for all legal services
Rule changes which would mean that law firms regulated by CILEx Regulation would be the first required to publish price and service information for all services have been put to the LSB.
Law firm owner rebuked for practising without insurance
A solicitor who did not shut down his law firm properly, continuing to deal with client matters even though he was not insured, has been rebuked.
Legal Omubdsman restarts work on publishing decisions
The Legal Ombudsman is set to restart work towards publishing the decisions it makes in full, now that operational performance is improving, Legal Futures can reveal.
Paralegal rebuked for misleading client over Land Registry matter
A paralegal who misled a client about the progress of their matter as she sought to clear up a problem she inherited on a file has been rebuked by the SRA.
Law firm compliance officer fined for accounts rules failures
A solicitor who allowed his law firm to flout the accounts rules while a director and compliance officer has been fined by the Solicitors Regulation Authority.
SRA: Convictions highlight Chinese ‘underground banking’ danger
The sentencing of seven people involved in a money laundering network via Chinese underground banking is a valuable reminder to solicitors of its risks, the SRA has said.
LSB puts SRA Compensation Fund fee increases on hold
Approval of the SRA’s application for the level of Compensation Fund contributions – which are set to soar this year – has been delayed for the first time ever, Legal Futures can report.
Blog
The best legal AI doesn’t replace rules-based engines – it completes them
There is a belief circulating in legal tech that AI can solve everything – that LLMs are universally superior to what came before. It is not always true, however.
Small steps, big impact: how SME law firms are making legal tech work
For SME law firms, the priority is turning the potential of tech into measurable impact: success is driven not just by the technology, but by how firms approach planning and implementation.
Why housing disrepair claims against councils have leapt by nearly 400%
Housing disrepair claims against councils have surged dramatically in recent years, with some areas reporting increases approaching a staggering 400%.
