National Lottery provides £30m “essential funding” for advice agencies
The National Lottery is to give £30m over five years to advice agencies as they face “unprecedented demand” for social welfare law services as a result of the cost-of-living crisis.
Leading law firm working capital provider goes into administration
Leading law firm funding business VFS Legal has gone into administration, with its founder telling Legal Futures that a change in its wholesale funder was the cause.
Government to introduce compulsory mediation for small claims
The Ministry of Justice is to introduce compulsory mediation for small claims valued up to £10,000, starting with specified money claims.
CMA launches investigation into unregulated legal services
The Competition & Markets Authority has returned to the legal market and launched an investigation into unregulated will-writing, online divorce and pre-paid probate services.
Law Society presses lenders for more Building Safety Act changes
The Law Society is pushing for more changes to the building safety provisions in the UK Finance Mortgage Lenders’ Handbook after one was made last week.
MPs and their staff “need training on legal issues”
MPs and their caseworkers need training on legal issues, a LawWorks report has argued, after research found that three-quarters of issues raised by constituents have a legal element.
Dentons to face disciplinary tribunal over AML “failures”
The world’s largest law firm is to be prosecuted before the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal over alleged breaches of anti-money laundering rules.
MoJ increasing new fixed costs to reflect high rate of inflation
The Ministry of Justice is to increase the new fixed recoverable costs coming into force on 1 October to take account of the high rate of inflation, and is consulting on other changes.
It is also consulting on a range of further changes to the regime
“Risk of conflicting duties” in following SRA Proceeds of Crime Act guidance
Solicitors need to tread carefully in applying new Solicitors Regulation Authority guidance on the Proceeds of Crime Act as they could find themselves in conflict with existing obligations.
Law firm’s “implausible” €1.4bn claim against bank thrown out
The High Court has granted a leading bank summary judgment on an “inherently implausible” €1.4bn (£1.2bn) claim for an introduction fee brought by a US law firm.
