Compliance & Regulation
Number of Bar students continues to grow
The number of students on Bar vocational courses has continued to grow since the pandemic, new figures have shown. Those with a first-class degree performed far better than others.
Welsh chambers breaks ground with first ICO legal services certification
The largest chambers in Wales has become the first legal services provider to obtain the new law-specific data protection certification approved by the Information Commissioner’s Office.
CILEX set to make final decision on SRA switch in October
CILEX is set to make a final decision on whether to seek to transfer regulator to the Solicitors Regulation Authority in October, and has named a new chair and president.
UN rapporteurs “seriously concerned” about online attacks on barrister
Four special rapporteurs appointed by the UN’s Human Rights Council have told the UK government about their concerns over the “ongoing harassment” of barrister Charlotte Proudman.
Senior associate who exposed clients to “unknown risks” struck off
A senior associate who completed a transaction without an executed mortgage deed, exposing both the lender and lay clients to “unknown and unacceptable risks”, has been struck off.
Partner “deliberately misled” client over PI claim she never issued
A partner at a leading personal injury firm who “deliberately misled” an accident victim for five years over a claim she never issued has been struck off.
Law firm fined £11,000 for overcharging DBA clients
A law firm that charged personal injury clients more than it was allowed to when acting under damages-based agreements has been fined nearly £11,000.
SRA to appeal decision to clear Dentons over AML breaches
The High Court looks set to rule on whether a tribunal was right to find that Dentons’ breach of the anti-money laundering rules was “inadvertent”.
Police station rep referred to transgender detainee as “thing”
A police station representative who made offensive comments about a transgender detainee and about immigrants has been made subject to regulatory controls.
BSB slaps down Bar Council over diversity and equality work
The Bar Standards Board has rejected a Bar Council call to take a step back from efforts to improve equality, diversity and inclusion and instead leave it to the profession.
Law firms need to act over new duty to prevent sexual harassment
Law firms will need to rethink their approach to alcohol at events as part of preparing for the new positive legal duty on employers to prevent sexual harassment in the workplace.
Pupil barrister fined for f-word outbursts during online exam
A pupil barrister has been fined £500 for a series of foul-mouthed outbursts at a remote invigilator during an online ethics exam, which ended with him raising his middle finger to the camera.
£36k fine for law firm which let millions pass through client account
A specialist sports law firm has been fined £36,000, and its COFA rebuked, for allowing its client account to be used as a banking facility.
Solicitor leaves roll after misusing dormant client money
A solicitor who transferred £15,000 that was long sat dormant in client account to his firm’s office account has agreed to remove himself from the roll of solicitors.
Call to charge lawyers £450 to make complaint to FOS
A trade association for financial advisers has called on the Financial Ombudsman Service to impose charges of £450 per case on law firms and CMCs making volume complaints.
Blog
The SRA’s client money reforms: good intentions, questionable execution
On the face of it, the SRA’s plans to tighten protections around client money sounds sensible. The detail, as ever, tells a more complicated story.
Recruitment, retention and reward in the legal accounts world
Understanding the legal finance market is important – not just for those actively involved in it day-to-day but also for leaders within law firms.
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.
