Compliance & Regulation
Nothing “inherently improper” about barristers using generative AI
There is nothing “inherently improper” about barristers using tools based on generative AI, so long as they are “properly understood” and “used responsibly”, the Bar Council has said.
Solicitor who ‘retained’ but never instructed counsel is struck off
A solicitor who dishonestly misled his client, his client’s son and the other side about the progress of litigation he was conducting has been struck off.
SRA writes to over 1,000 firms about poor sanctions compliance
The Solicitors Regulation Authority has written to give guidance to more than 1,000 law firms that admit they do not have basic controls in place to mitigate sanctions risk.
Solicitor who misled firm about client loans and referrals struck off
A solicitor who actively concealed from his employer the fact that he had taken loans from clients and received referral fees from a short-term lender has been struck off.
Women now make up 40% of Bar as diversity trends continue
Long-term trends of improving diversity at the Bar continued last year, with women now making up just over 40% of barristers, Bar Standards Board figures have shown.
‘Conflict of interest’ solicitor threatened client with libel action
A solicitor has been fined for acting for clients in a property dispute knowing they had a possible negligence claim against the firm for causing the litigation in the first place.
Three arrested in raid on “bogus” immigration law firm
Three suspected fraudulent immigration lawyers have been arrested in Greater Manchester following a Home Office raid on Wednesday.
Legal Ombudsman forced to revise backlog figure upwards – again
The queue of cases awaiting investigation at the Legal Ombudsman is not falling as fast as had been expected, with the March 2024 target having been revised upwards for a third time.
BSB keeps its powder dry over Post Office barristers
The Bar Standards Board has yet to see evidence from the Post Office inquiry that requires it to take urgent action against any barrister, it has told Legal Futures.
Axiom Ince review to investigate regulation of ‘accumulator firms’
The Legal Services Board review of the collapse of Axiom Ince will include not just the role of the Solicitors Regulation Authority but also its approach to law firm consolidators.
SRA hands out another hefty fine for drink-drive conviction
The Solicitors Regulation Authority has imposed another hefty fine on a solicitor convicted of drink driving as the impact of its new approach to fines hits home.
Deferring point of call will damage diversity and inns, says top KC
Delaying the point at which barristers are called to the Bar until after obtaining pupillage risks reducing the diversity and strength of the profession, a former Bar Council chair has argued.
LSB to identify gaps in regulation that allow unethical conduct
The Legal Services Board is to begin work on identifying the gaps in regulation that have allowed unethical or unprofessional conduct to emerge.
Solicitor fined £9,000 for improper client account transfers
A solicitor who allowed made improper transfers from client account to his firm’s office account has been fined £9,000 by the Solicitors Regulation Authority.
LSB rejects call to make Axiom Ince review independent
The Legal Services Board has firmly rejected a call from five local law societies to make its review of the Axiom Ince scandal independent.
Blog
Why upfront information could transform the home buying
The success of upfront property information will depend on more than simply making the information available.
AI risk: What law firms must now demand from vendors
AI systems ingest, transform, infer and generate. Treating them as equivalent to document storage or workflow tools is a category error.
Why mid-sized firms are the most interesting story in UK legal right now
Mid-sized law firms are facing a set of decisions about structure, technology and growth that will define where they sit in the market for the next decade.
Reports
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