Compliance & Regulation
Largest law firms continue to lag behind in partnership diversity
The country’s largest law firms continue to lag behind the rest of the profession in promoting women and ethnic minority solicitors to partner, authoritative new figures have shown.
ILCA scheme “should take all interest” on pooled client accounts
The government’s proposed Interest on Lawyers’ Client Accounts scheme will be “an international outlier” if it takes only 75% of the interest from pooled accounts.
LSB member resigns to speak out over attack on jury trial
A member of the Legal Services Board has resigned so that she can speak out against the government’s proposals to curb jury trials.
Barrister’s claim against Neidle ruled first statutory SLAPP
A barrister’s £8m libel and malicious falsehood claim against high-profile tax lawyer Dan Neidle was yesterday found a statutory SLAPP, the first time a court has made such a declaration.
“We have a duty” – solicitor calls on profession to help PM Law’s clients
A solicitor helping former litigation clients of PM Law has called on others to take on cases – and for defendant solicitors not to take advantage of the situation.
SRA: “Significant progress” on Post Office disciplinary action
The Solicitors Regulation Authority has made “significant progress” with its investigations into the Post Office scandal – but still cannot say when disciplinary action may start.
MPs grill Legal Ombudsman chair-elect with new LSB chair to follow
The failure of law firms to give a final response to complaints about service is one of the big challenges for the Legal Ombudsman, according to its chair-elect, while the LSB is set for a new chair.
Consumer panel calls for single disciplinary process for lawyers
The Legal Services Consumer Panel has called for a single disciplinary process and compensation scheme as part of a major modernisation of legal regulation.
Implementing ILCA scheme as proposed “may be unlawful”
The government’s plans for an Interest on Lawyers’ Client Accounts scheme are so poorly thought-through that implementing it might not be lawful, City solicitors have warned.
SRA faces £700k costs battle with Carter-Ruck partner
The Solicitors Regulation Authority faces having to pay up to £700,000 in costs after its prosecution of a partner at top media firm Carter-Ruck was summarily dismissed.
Using Legal Choices “improves understanding”
The website run by all the legal regulators to help consumers navigate the justice system improves understanding of legal issues, research has found.
“Repurpose unused apprenticeship levies” to support access to justice
Repurposing large law firms’ unused apprenticeship levies was this week put forward as a more practical option than a levy of wealthy law firms to support access to justice initiatives.
SRA pays out £9.3m to PM Law clients in month after collapse
The Solicitors Regulation Authority has already paid out £9.3m to clients of the collapsed PM Law Group, it revealed today.
Legal Services Board “may need more money and staff” to do its job
The Legal Services Consumer Panel has questioned whether the Legal Services Board is “sufficiently resourced and structured” to oversee regulation of the sector.
Legal Services Board formally issues SRA with censure over SSB
The Legal Services Board has today finally issued the formal public censure of the SRA for its failure to protect consumers affected by the collapse of SSB Group.
Blog
The SRA’s strict liability gamble has failed. Good
The Court of Appeal handed down its judgment in Dentons v SRA on 27 April, and the profession is right to welcome it. It is the second time in short succession that the court has corrected the SRA.
How AI presents real opportunities for barristers
AI presents real opportunities to improve access to justice and to support barristers in day-to-day legal practice. But we all need to understand and mitigate the risks.
Not everything can be a competition issue – a new dawn for consumer redress
Last month, the Law Commission launched a new project to “consider the potential introduction of a consumer class actions regime” in England and Wales.
