Compliance & Regulation
Mazur: Court refuses CILEX Fellow exemption to conduct litigation
A circuit judge has refused to grant a highly experienced chartered legal executive an exemption that would allow her to conduct a family law case.
SRA shuts down eight-office Home Counties law firm
An eight-office Home Counties law firm – operating under seven different names – was closed down yesterday by the Solicitors Regulation Authority.
Regulators told to be tougher with AML disciplinary action
Some legal and accountancy regulators are not undertaking “sufficiently dissuasive disciplinary measures” over non-compliance with AML rules, their oversight body has warned.
Dual-qualified barrister who misled High Court is disbarred
A Bar disciplinary tribunal has ordered that a dual-qualified barrister, who misled the High Court as a solicitor, should be disbarred.
Exclusive: Ex-SSB clients settle claims against firm’s insurer
Around 130 former clients of SSB Law have settled their negligence claims against the collapsed law firm’s insurer, their solicitor has revealed.
Fine for solicitor who failed to act on client’s vulnerabilities
An experienced solicitor who failed to take action after medical reports showed his client had not been fit to plead guilty to 19 criminal charges has been fined £3,800.
Don’t make us responsible for submitting reports, accountants tell SRA
Responsibility for submitting law firms’ accountant’s reports should not be switched to the accountants, a leading representative body has told the SRA.
Court of Appeal refuses bid by jailed barrister to call new evidence
A barrister has failed in a bid to overturn his conviction for defrauding the Legal Aid Agency by falsely claiming defence legal costs.
Suspension for solicitor who ran firm without authorisation
A solicitor who practised as a sole practitioner for over three years without authorisation after her partner left has been suspended for nine months.
Ethical working cultures “vital” for law firms, indemnity insurer says
An “ethical and supportive working culture” has become “not just beneficial, but vital” to the future of law firms, a leading professional indemnity insurer has said.
Solicitor struck off for misleading judge about location
A solicitor who “wasted valuable court time” by telling a recorder that he was in London when he was actually in Munich has been struck off.
Client account interest scheme “could create meaningful change”
An Interest on Lawyers’ Client Accounts scheme “could create meaningful change” by delivering a justice system that works for more people.
Training of lawyers “not good enough”, MPs told
The training of lawyers in England and Wales, both at law schools and through CPD, “is not good enough” and could be improved by regulation, a leading legal academic has told MPs.
Non-AI technology-only law firm authorised by SRA
A technology-only law firm built around a “fully deterministic legal model” has been authorised by the Solicitors Regulation Authority, the first of its kind.
Solicitor faces probe after putting client documents into ChatGPT
The Upper Tribunal has warned lawyers against putting client documents into ChatGPT and other open-source AI tools after a solicitor admitted doing so.
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.
