Compliance & Regulation
Solicitor who billed clients for work he had not done struck off
A private client lawyer who billed clients for work he had not done has been struck off by the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal.
SRA to double size of leadership team as BSB names new chief
The Solicitors Regulation Authority is to double the size of the leadership team under chief executive Sarah Rapson with the creation of four new director-level posts.
Lawyers resolve most complaints themselves under LeO pilot
Lawyers testing the Legal Ombudsman’s model complaints resolution procedure resolved most of the complaints themselves, it has emerged.
BBC sting heaps pressure on immigration lawyers and SRA
A BBC undercover investigation has again thrown the spotlight on immigration lawyers, claiming that “a shadow industry of law firms and advisers” is helping migrants bring bogus asylum cases.
Government sets out conditions for ‘excepted’ NDAs
The government has proposed detailed conditions which would allow employers and workers to sign NDAs relating to harassment or discrimination in strictly limited situations.
SRA “wants conversation about who handles complaints about solicitors”
The SRA “would love to have a conversation” about whether the responsibility for handling complaints should continue to be split with the Legal Ombudsman, MPs have heard.
Solicitor who falsely recorded time to meet targets struck off
A solicitor who falsely recorded 100 hours of time to help meet her billing targets has been struck off, despite recognition of the mental health issues she was facing at the time.
Law Society trains focus on SRA for Mazur supervision guidance
The Law Society has put the focus on the SRA to give the profession guidance on what amounts to supervision following the Mazur ruling.
Keep out of employment issues, solicitors tell SRA
The Solicitors Regulation Authority has been told to leave employment issues such as bullying, harassment, discrimination and sexual misconduct to law firms and the courts.
Law firm fails in appeal against £68k fine for AML failures
A law firm run by an ex-Law Society president has failed in an appeal against a £68,000 fine imposed by the Solicitors Regulation Authority for anti-money laundering failures.
Consumers may have to wait a year for LeO decision
The decision to deny the Legal Ombudsman the budget it needs could see consumers waiting more than a year for the outcome of their complaint by 2028.
Mazur: Law Society still mulling appeal as SRA reviews investigations
The Law Society has yet to decide whether to appeal last week’s Mazur ruling, while the SRA is reviewing investigations that followed the High Court ruling.
Eight out of 10 candidates say SQE is not fit for purpose
Eight out of 10 current and former SQE candidates do not consider the exam is fit for purpose or good value for money, a survey by the National Junior Lawyers Division has found.
Bar tribunals: Earlier naming and all rulings published
Rulings by Bar disciplinary tribunals which clear barristers of misconduct are to be published in all cases, not only where requested, the Bar Standards Board has decided.
Judge: Unqualified agency advocates “risk undermining legal system”
The use of unqualified advocates by agencies has “the potential to undermine the integrity of the legal system”, a judge has ruled.
Blog
Why is Andrew Malkinson still paying for a crime he didn’t commit?
Like many in my profession and beyond, I have been moved by the case of Andrew Malkinson, the man who spent 17 years in prison for an awful crime he did not commit.
What is tech bloat and why is it a problem for law firms?
Too many law firms are adopting shiny new tech without first retiring their legacy systems, causing duplication and unnecessary costs.
The civil courts and the digital divide
Despite the government’s decision to increase Ministry of Justice funding, its budget for 2025-26 is still 14% lower in real terms than in 2007-08.
