Compliance & Regulation
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.
Fine for solicitor who acted on both sides of property deal
A partner who acted for both sides of a property transaction where there was a conflict of interest has been fined by the Solicitors Regulation Authority.
Tribunal criticises BSB for prosecuting “sleeping” barrister
A disciplinary tribunal has sharply criticised the Bar Standards Board for how it approached the prosecution of a barrister who struggled to stay awake during an inquest.
Police seek struck-off ‘dine and dash’ solicitor for skipping bail
Police want to speak to a solicitor struck off earlier this year over convictions for two ‘dine and dash’ incidents after she failed to answer bail over more allegations.
SRA closes down four law firms in two days
The Solicitors Regulation Authority has closed down four law firms this week, two of which were both consumer claim practices in Liverpool.
Vexatious ex-solicitor cannot start litigating again, High Court says
The High Court has refused to allow a struck-off solicitor to reopen vexatious litigation against the Law Society, Bar Council, senior judges, lawyers and many others.
Law firms “cheating” clients out of interest on their money
Law firms are could have made as much as £1.3bn in interest on client money in 2022/23, it has been claimed amid scrutiny of what they pass on to clients.
Solicitor struck off after clients paid fees into personal bank account
A solicitor who asked clients at two different firms to pay fees into his personal bank account because he was in financial difficulties has been struck off.
EDI initiatives not “shifting the law’s systemic inequalities”
There are multiple factors behind the failure of equality, diversity and inclusion initiatives to “shift the systemic inequalities that are entrenched” across the legal profession.
Proportion of women “ultimately decreases” in journey to judiciary
The proportion of women lawyers “fluctuates but ultimately decreases” on the pipeline from qualifying to becoming judges, a report for the Legal Services Board has found.
Regulators “must warn lawyers against taking advantage of LiPs”
Legal regulators must warn lawyers that they will face action to stop them unethically taking advantage of vulnerable litigants, a charity has urged.
Blog
The cost of systemic failure and childbirth injuries
Recent reports show that the NHS has paid almost £3.5bn in medical claims around childbirth injuries over the past six years.
Mazur: when regulators make simple things complicated
What the last six months have shown is that supervision cannot be treated as a background compliance obligation quietly managed somewhere in a firm’s operational processes.
How unstoppable AI is reshaping UK legal practice
At a time when most technology innovation still flows from the US and China, UK lawtech is attracting growing international attention and capital.
