Solicitors
LeO: law firms should issue two retainers to consumer credit clients
Law firms should issue two separate retainers to clients where they are provided with consumer credit as well as purely legal services, the Legal Ombudsman has suggested.
Senior partner who became direct access barrister sets up alternative business structure
David Hassall, a senior partner turned barrister whose career mirrors recent changes in legal services, has set up an alternative business structure – which he intends to operate on a ‘John Lewis’ profit share model.
Failure to undertake CPD will be “aggravating factor” in investigations, SRA warns
Failure to undertake continuous professional development will be an “aggravating factor” when enforcement decisions are made against those guilty of incompetence, the Solicitors Regulation Authority has said.
Law Society fails to block Find a Solicitor negligence action
The Law Society has failed in a bid to block a High Court action against it for negligent misrepresentation, after a bogus solicitor got himself listed on the society’s Find a Solicitor website and stole money from a house purchaser.
Plant reflects on five years at helm of SRA: “It’s a far better place now”
Charles Plant is leaving the Solicitors Regulation Authority at the end of this month “in a great deal better state than where I found it”, he has said in an interview to mark the end of his five-year tenure.
SRA closes alternative business structure after securing High Court order
The Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) has closed an alternative business structure after obtaining a High Court order to obtain crucial evidence.
QASA barristers in last throw of the dice with appeal to Supreme Court
Four criminal law barristers have appealed to the Supreme Court in their judicial review of the Quality Assurance Scheme for Advocates (QASA) – despite a costs bill which already totals £215,000, Legal Futures can reveal.
Panel backs SRA’s move to ditch regulation of consumer credit work
The Legal Services Consumer Panel has thrown its weight behind the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) in arguing that it should no longer regulate consumer credit work.
SRA warns of increased money laundering risk as National Crime Agency takes hard line
There is an increasing risk of law firms failing to have adequate systems and controls to prevent, detect and report money laundering and terrorist financing, the Solicitors Regulation Authority has warned.
Solicitors From Hell founder wins surprise High Court victory
He has been sued 18 times in relation to the website he founded, and lost each time, but now Rick Kordowski, the man behind SolicitorsFromHell.co.uk, has recorded an unexpected High Court win.
SRA rejects Law Society bid to extend indemnity run-off period by three years
The Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) has rejected a proposal by the Law Society to extend the additional indemnity run-off cover provided by the Solicitors Indemnity Fund (SIF) for a further three years until 2023.
SRA rejects bid to give law firms open access to BARCO
A request by the Bar Council for law firms to be given automatic access to BARCO has been rejected by the Solicitors Regulation Authority, it has emerged.
Phone scams hit solicitors, with four firms losing £2m
Four law firms have recently lost £2m from their client accounts after falling victim to scammers who tricked them into disclosing bank security information over the telephone, the Solicitors Regulation Authority has warned.
SRA uncovers “genuinely shocking” money laundering by law firms
Some “genuinely shocking” cases of money laundering by law firms are currently going through the disciplinary system, a senior manager at the Solicitors Regulation Authority has warned the profession.
LSB rejects plan to cut indemnity cover limit
The Legal Services Board (LSB) has rejected plans by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) to cut the indemnity cover limit for law firms from £2m to £500,000.
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.
