Compliance & Regulation
SRA under pressure as reports about solicitors spiral upwards
The number of reports about solicitors received by the regulator has risen by more than a quarter this year and is set to have a significant impact on its performance.
SRA to keep hands off client account interest – for now
The Solicitors Regulation Authority has put work on any changes to client account – and the interest solicitors earn on it – on hold until the second half of 2026.
Law Society of Scotland delays ABS work for another two years
The Law Society of Scotland has announced a two-year delay in work to introduce alternative business structures – which will take the wait since they were first given the green light to 17 years.
Alarm over High Court “bomb” on conduct of litigation
Last week’s High Court ruling on unqualified fee-earners conducting litigation will cause “nationwide disruption”, with firms urged to review their approach to supervision.
Legal Ombudsman findings lead to shorter sentence for drug dealer
The Court of Appeal has reduced a drug dealer’s sentence after the Legal Ombudsman found that his solicitors had provided inadequate advice on his guilty plea.
Exclusive: Solicitor launches AI-only consumer law business
An employment law service powered entirely by artificial intelligence goes live today, offering consumers both legal advice and representation.
SRA could ban ‘no win, no fee’ label in volume claims shake-up
A ban on using the term ‘no win, no fee’ and enhanced oversight of law firms are among ideas put forward by the SRA to make the high-volume consumer claims market work better.
SDT: Top libel firm instructed “in furtherance of fraud”
Top media law firm Carter-Ruck was instructed “in furtherance of fraud” by cryptocurrency scam OneCoin and its co-founder Dr Ruja Ignatova, the SDT said this week.
HMRC urged to exclude solicitors from adviser registration scheme
HMRC needs to exclude solicitors from legislation requiring tax advisers who interact with it on behalf of clients to register and meet minimum standards, the Law Society has argued.
Unqualified law firm staff cannot conduct litigation, says court
Unqualified employees of law firms can support a solicitor in conducting litigation – but cannot conduct litigation under the supervision of a solicitor, the High Court has ruled.
Reprimand for legal aid solicitor over cash paid in car park
A veteran solicitor who received £6,000 in cash from a legally aided client’s brother-in-law in a car park has been cleared of breaching legal aid rules.
Barrister referred to BSB for misleading tribunal with ChatGPT
A barrister who used ChatGPT to draft grounds of appeal for the Upper Tribunal that included a fake case reference, and then failed to admit it, has been referred to the BSB.
Solicitor “did not perceive risk” of failing to witness PoA properly
A solicitor who failed to properly witness a power of attorney during the pandemic has received a suspended suspension.
FCA steps up campaign to warn consumers off law firms and CMCs
The Financial Conduct Authority has launched a £1m campaign to tell motor finance customers that they do not need to use a claims management company or law firm.
High-profile ABS owner cleared of wrongdoing over payments
The man who founded now-defunct Stobart Barristers and then bought two well-known criminal law firms, has been cleared of any wrongdoing around his business’s insolvency.
Blog
Change in regulator shouldn’t make AML less of a priority
While SRA fines for AML have been climbing, many in the profession aren’t confident they will get any relief from the FCA, a body used to dealing with a highly regulated industry.
There are 17 million wills waiting to be written
The main reason cited by people who do not have a will was a lack of awareness as to how to arrange one. As a professional community, we seem to be failing to get our message across.
The case for a single legal services regulator: why the current system is failing
From catastrophic firm collapses to endemic compliance failures, the evidence is mounting that the current multi-regulator model is fundamentally broken.
