Compliance & Regulation
Research: Consumers find multiplicity of legal regulators confusing
The public finds different regulators for different part of the legal profession confusing and backs the Solicitors Regulation Authority taking oversight of chartered legal executives.
LSB calls in Northern Irish law firm to assist with SRA Axiom probe
The Legal Services Board has retained a Northern Irish law firm to assist with its review of regulatory events leading up to the SRA’s intervention into Axiom Ince.
Barristers face 9.5% increase in cost of practising next year
Barristers are facing a 9.5% increase in the cost of their practising certificates next year, reduced from 13.5% with the Bar Council again planning to use its reserves to mitigate the increase.
SDT lifts restriction on law firm owner after closure warning
The Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal has removed a condition on the practising certificate of the owner of a legal aid law firm after he warned that it could force the firm to close.
Anti-bullying training “should be compulsory for barristers”
Training to prevent bullying and harassment should be compulsory for barristers, the leader of gender equality group Behind the Gown has said.
Law firm finance head lied about fraud conviction to get job
A law firm employed a head of finance who concealed the fact that he had been jailed in Ireland for defrauding his previous employer.
Regulator to widen powers for interim suspensions of barristers
The Bar Standards Board to press ahead with new powers for interim suspensions where necessary to protect the public or the public interest.
High Court: Mirror’s legal department knew about hacking for years
The legal department at Mirror Group Newspapers was aware of phone hacking far earlier than it admitted, the High Court found last week in the claim brought by Prince Harry.
SDT urges solicitors to be open with clients after suspending partner
The Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal has urged solicitors under work pressures to “be open with their clients when problems arise” after suspending a “cavalier” partner.
Deferring point of call for barristers “could improve social mobility”
Delaying the point at which barristers are called to the Bar until after obtaining pupillage could improve social mobility if it reduces the number of overseas students and “less able domestic students”.
Solicitor struck off for undervaluing claim and then fabricating form
A solicitor who submitted a claim form for far less than the case was worth, in order to avoid paying a large court fee, and later fabricated it to show a higher value, has been struck off.
Senior solicitor who slapped young paralegal’s backside suspended
An experienced male solicitor found to have inappropriately touched a 21-year-old female paralegal, including slapping her backside, has been suspended for a year.
LSB prepares for “regular” investigations into regulators
The Legal Services Board plans to increase its “capacity and capability” to launch investigations into, and reviews of, the frontline regulators “on a regular basis”.
SRA: Profession making progress on diversity – especially at small firms
There is a “slow but steady increase in diversity among all lawyers”, the Solicitors Regulation Authority reported yesterday in its biennial collection of the profession’s diversity data.
SRA shelves accounts rules changes in wake of Axiom Ince
The SRA has postponed changes it was set to make to the accounts rules – including how money taken for costs in advance of work being done is dealt with – in light of the Axiom Ince scandal.
Blog
Legal director: an alternative to partnership
Firms are increasingly acknowledging the need for alternative senior roles – positions that offer influence and recognition without the obligations of ownership.
It’s time for law firms to ask tougher questions
For years, many law firms have treated ID verification as a box-ticking exercise. Run a liveness check, match a face to a document and move on. But that is no longer good enough.
Business fatigue to AI will risk job security
Whilst we know professional learning has always been part of career paths, to hire, retain and keep talent, AI needs to be embedded as a core part of this training.
