Compliance & Regulation
Suspended jail term for immigration adviser who posed as solicitor
A woman who falsely claimed to be a solicitor and provided immigration advice when not qualified to do so has been given an 18-month suspended sentence.
“Disgraceful” solicitor misled elderly woman over outstanding fees
A solicitor who misled an 89-year-old former client into giving him money she did not owe has been struck off for “disgraceful behaviour” capable of shattering public trust in the profession.
Law firms risk claims without safeguards for generative AI
Law firms must either introduce “safeguards that include human oversight” to authenticate AI-generated content or “expect an increased exposure” to negligence claims, a leading law firm has warned.
LSB set to recommend bigger fining powers for SRA and other regulators
The Legal Services Board is set to make a direct request to the government to increase the Solicitors Regulation Authority’s fining powers beyond the current £25,000 limit.
SRA to toughen up on compliance with continuing competence rules
The Solicitors Regulation Authority is to step up efforts to ensure compliance with continuing competence obligations, particularly among conveyancers and probate specialists.
SRA allows convicted and struck off ex-solicitor to work for law firm
A solicitor jailed for perverting the course of justice after sharing information about police activities with drug dealers, and then struck off, has been allowed to return to work at a law firm.
Conveyancer who told trainee to falsify email is struck off
A solicitor who falsified emails in five conveyancing transactions as he struggled to cope with the post-Covid work surge, in one case telling a trainee to send a client false information, has been struck off.
Solicitors “should get empathy training”, LSB research suggests
Solicitors should get training in “soft skills/empathy” as part of their continuing professional development, research for the Legal Services Board has suggested.
BSB drops transgender case study from revised social media guidance
The Bar Standards Board has dropped a case study from its revised social media guidance concerning gender-critical views after it was accused of promoting a ‘gender ideology’.
SDT clears ex-trainee of lying to law firm about LPC performance
A former trainee in the London office of a US law firm has been cleared of telling partners he had not failed any legal practice course examinations, when in fact he had.
LSB has “no role” in regulating lawful use of NDAs, Bar Council says
The Legal Services Board has “no role” in “attempting to control or regulate lawyers involved in assisting clients in the lawful use of NDAs”, the Bar Council has said.
SRA shuts down three immigrations firms caught in Daily Mail sting
The Solicitors Regulation Authority has shut down three of the law firms named in a Daily Mail undercover investigation last week after the newspaper provided recordings and transcripts.
Male barrister disbarred for sexually harassing female pupils
A male barrister who told one pupil that she needed to have sex with senior members of the Bar to be successful and another that she was frigid has been disbarred.
‘Corporate’ chambers sets up ABS after significant growth
A chambers set up as a company to shake up the Bar has now obtained an alternative business structure nilicence after three years of strong growth.
Solicitor set for SRA probe after High Court overturns anonymity order
The High Court has removed a nine-year anonymity order in favour of a solicitor, meaning that the Solicitors Regulation Authority can now investigate his misconduct in later costs proceedings.
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.
