Compliance & Regulation
Small firms at heart of AML reports made by SRA
The Solicitors Regulation Authority reported transactions potentially involving money laundering worth over £75m to the National Crime Agency in the last financial year.
SRA granted civil restraint order against struck-off solicitor
The High Court has granted the Solicitors Regulation Authority an extended civil restraint order to stop a struck-off solicitor from taking further legal action against it.
Government commits to end barriers holding back CILEX lawyers
The Ministry of Justice has set out its vision of ensuring that “there are no unnecessary barriers preventing CILEX members progressing their careers”.
Ban for paralegal who lied on CV to get job at law firm
A paralegal who lied on his CV about his experience, signed a statutory declaration and held himself out as a solicitor has been banned from working in the profession.
Bar chief backs feminist barrister abused by other counsel
The chair of the Bar Council has spoken out in support of a feminist barrister who said yesterday that she has complained about abuse from more than 50 “mainly White male” barristers.
Ex-DLA partner avoids strike-off for trying to fake witness’s signature
A former equity partner at DLA Piper has avoided being struck off despite admitting to trying to fake a witness’s signature on a mortgage deed.
Solicitor struck off for lying about links with illegal money lender
A solicitor who lied to both his employer and his regulator by denying he had any kind of relationship with a convicted illegal money lender has been struck off.
LeO resolves record number of complaints in performance “step change”
The Legal Ombudsman has achieved the required step-change in performance in the last year, it has declared, with waiting times finally falling as 44% more cases were resolved.
New AML supervision regime for lawyers moves step closer
HM Treasury has launched a long-awaited consultation that could see a new public body replace legal regulators in supervising lawyers’ anti-money laundering activities.
BSB chief: Many practices at the Bar have “outlived their usefulness”
There are many working practices at the Bar “which may have outlived their usefulness and no longer work in the interests of consumers”, the director general of the Bar Standards Board said yesterday.
Being a higher court judge is “saleable” post-retirement
Being a higher court judge is “saleable”, with post-judicial work “as significant a perk for many as the knight/damehood”, a former circuit judge has claimed.
Ban on providing legal advisory services to Russians comes into force
A ban on UK lawyers providing ‘legal advisory services’ to Russians comes into force today, while a review has found good level of sanctions compliance among commercial barristers.
High Court boost for costs lawyers as new way to qualify goes live
The first course offering the new way to qualify as a costs lawyer has begun admitting students in the wake of comments from a High Court master praising the contribution of costs lawyers.
Large North-West conveyancing practice to close doors on Friday
A large conveyancing firm in the North-West is to close its doors on Friday, with its two directors taking some staff to join the practice owned by listed company Smoove.
Retired judges “should be regulated” if they return to practice
Retired judges who engage in legal work after their retirement, whether advocacy or litigation, should be regulated by the BSB or SRA, academics have argued.
Blog
Why later-life divorce requires a distinct professional framework
Later-life divorce, often described as ‘silver splitter’ or ‘grey divorce’ cases, is no longer a marginal feature of family law practice. It challenges long-standing assumptions about how divorce work is done.
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.
