Reserved activities set to stay as they are for now
A full review of the reserved legal activities is not justified at the moment without a “fundamental” reappraisal of the Legal Services Act too, the Legal Services Board has concluded.
Trust business launches ABS for own and other law firms’ work
A company which specialises in trust work has launched an alternative business structure to handle both its own work and instructions from other law firms.
Conveyancers fined £33,000 for complaints and accounts breaches
A large firm of licensed conveyancers and its senior partners have been reprimanded and fined £33,000 after a Covid-related work surge overwhelmed its ability to handle complaints.
Solicitor ordered to pay costs after failed unfair dismissal claim
A solicitor has been ordered to pay costs for his conduct of a failed employment tribunal claim against his former law firm.
Barrister pleads guilty to obtaining drugs from criminal clients
A barrister infamous for his conviction for possession of drugs that led to the death of his boyfriend has now pleaded guilty to obtaining drugs from clients he was representing.
Trainee jailed for using client damages to fund gambling addiction
A trainee solicitor who stole more than £100,000 of client compensation to fund a gambling habit – severely damaging the law firm he worked for – has been jailed for two years.
Judge excoriates “shameless” family case with costs of £5.5m
A family court judge has described a case where the two parties racked up costs of £5.5m as “one of the most shameless pieces of litigation” he has ever seen.
Pay appeal blow for judges who ‘sit up’ in higher courts
A ruling that salaried judges who ‘sit up’ in higher courts from time to time should be paid more for the work has been overturned by the Employment Appeal Tribunal.
Negligence claim over law firm’s ground rent advice dismissed
A circuit judge has dismissed a negligence claim over a London law firm’s alleged failure to give a client proper advice on a how much the ground rent would increase under a lease.
CA: Barrister’s conduct of own litigation “not a private matter”
A High Court judge was right to hold that a barrister’s conduct of litigation in her own right was not a private matter beyond the Bar Standards Board’s reach, the Court of Appeal has ruled.
