Litigation/Dispute Resolution

A High Court judge has been issued with a formal warning for misconduct over significant delays in handing down judgments in two cases – but cleared of using AI in drafting one of them.

The Court of Appeal has overturned the decision in Mazur, holding that an unauthorised person can conduct litigation so long as they are under the supervision of an authorised lawyer.

The Court of Appeal ruling in Mazur is “a victory for CILEX members” but also for access to justice, consumers and the profession, the organisation has declared.

The FCA’s announcement of the redress scheme for motor finance claims has seen lawyers decry the impact on consumers and also predict it will be challenged in court.

The FCA has promised “robust action” against law firms and CMCs that engage in “sharp practices” around the finalised motor finance compensation scheme.

A law firm owner is suing a former probate executive she employed for defamation over reviews left on two websites, as part of a wider dispute that involves another solicitor.

National law firm Hugh James is acting for former clients of Sandstone Legal, which specialised in financial mis-selling claims, over potential professional negligence action.

A tax specialist owes his former law firm £204,000 in overpayments he received while an employee after failing to refer work that would cover his debt, the High Court has ruled.

There is no “statistically meaningful bias” by Commercial Court judges towards claimants or defendants, a report has found. Claims values, meanwhile, have surged.

A Liverpool law firm ordered to bear the cost of redeeming a client’s mortgage because of mistakes made in a conveyancing matter is among eight named by the Legal Ombudsman.

A law firm paid away £2.5m in client monies without instruction and also forged its client’s signature on multiple documents, the High Court has decided.

Legal expenses insurer AmTrust has paid £48.5m to settle a claim brought by the disbursement funder owed money following the collapse of Pure Legal and High Street Solicitors.

Introducing AI into tribunals should be “the next phase” of the HM Courts and Tribunal Service reform programme, the Administrative Justice Council has said.

There is “no realistic scope” to break down the elements of a medical reporting organisation’s fee, the Senior Costs Judge has ruled – but its recoverable mark-up should not exceed 25%.

A former Irwin Mitchell client has “a moral right to feel aggrieved” by negligent advice it admitted giving, but this “is not the same as a legal right to damages”, the High Court has ruled.