Compliance & Regulation
Barrister disbarred for lying to law firm employer about conviction
A barrister who lied to a law firm about not having any unspent convictions when applying for a job and then working there has been disbarred.
Judge halves suspension of barrister who misled Court of Appeal
The High Court has halved the 12-month suspension imposed on a barrister who recklessly misled the Court of Appeal because the tribunal failed to take proper account of mitigating factors.
Media lawyers accuse Law Society of letting down members over SLAPPs
A newly formed group of leading media lawyers has accused the Law Society of failing to represent its members’ interests in relation to SLAPPs.
Judge rejects firm’s bid to increase bill after LeO agreement
A law firm which reduced its fees in an informal resolution of a client’s complaint brokered by the Legal Ombudsman could not later submit a higher revised bill.
New titles and regulator for CILEX lawyers “will confuse consumers”
The Solicitors Regulation Authority taking over the regulation of chartered legal executives risks confusing consumers, the Law Society has argued.
Solicitor who took £400,000 from estates is struck off
A solicitor who misappropriated £200,000 from the estates of clients and overcharged them by almost £200,000, has been struck off by the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal.
Rebuke for firm that acted on both sides without client consent
A law firm that acted on both sides of a conveyancing transaction without obtaining consent from the buyer has been rebuked by the Solicitors Regulation Authority.
Lawyers “should pay £150 levy to fund social welfare law”
Lawyers should pay a levy of £150 each through their practising fees to fund social welfare law, and there should also be a £30 levy on county court cases, an event heard yesterday.
Law Society warns SRA to tread carefully over compensation fund cash
The Law Society has warned the Solicitors Regulation Authority not to ask the profession to stump up millions to boost its compensation fund without consulting first.
CILEX regulator rejects “deskilled” advocacy warning over higher rights
The regulator of chartered legal executives has rejected warnings from barristers of a “deskilled” advocacy profession with a “third and lower tier”, if it goes ahead with granting higher rights of audience.
Barristers “need guidance from chambers on sanctions compliance”
Chambers need to have “mechanisms and guidance in place” to ensure their barristers are complying with UK sanctions, the Bar Standards Board has said.
LeO seeks £1.2m budget increase as complaints numbers rise
The Legal Ombudsman has proposed a 7% increase, or £1.2m, in its budget to nearly £18m next year, with delays at the complaints-handling body set to continue for longer than anticipated.
Sex offender given access to child’s data by law firm found in contempt
A convicted sex offender accidentally given access by a leading law firm to a vulnerable child’s confidential information has been found guilty of contempt for not complying with court orders to delete it.
Beringer: Firms must be publicly accountable for new client decisions
Commercial law firms must be prepared to publicly justify acting for controversial clients and not hide behind professional arguments like access to justice, ex-Allen & Overy senior partner Guy Beringer has said.
Solicitors “have more positive view of their services” than consumers do
There are “several discrepancies” between the quality of the service solicitors believe they are providing and what consumers perceive, research for the SRA has found.
Blog
Listening, learning and leading The Solicitor’s Charity with care
As I prepare to hand over the mantle of chair of The Solicitor’s Charity next month, it doesn’t feel like an end. Instead, it feels like a wonderful journey.
Is competition in the legal sector stifling innovation?
As the legal sector’s competitive landscape continues to evolve, Nobel laureates remind us that innovation is not inevitable,and that competition may not always be an incentive to innovate.
What high-performing consumer claims firms get right
Recurring concerns about parts of the volume claims sector show that the gap between well-run firms and those struggling to manage volume effectively is widening.
