Next PM “could separate roles of Lord Chancellor and justice secretary”
The next prime minister “may wish to consider” separating the roles of Lord Chancellor and justice secretary, or at least removing the responsibility for prisons, peers have said.
Failure to comply with Legal Services Act “did not invalidate indictment”
A council’s failure to ensure either a lawyer or ‘exempt’ individual served a Crown Court indictment did not “automatically invalidate” it, the Court of Appeal has ruled.
CILEX strengthens position with Institute of Paralegals acquisition
CILEX has acquired the Institute of Paralegals and its Professional Paralegal Register as it looks to strengthen its position as the body for specialist legal professionals.
Barrister who practised while suspended is disbarred
A barrister who held himself out as practising while he in fact he was serving a suspension has been disbarred after his fourth appearance before a disciplinary tribunal.
Ban for police station representative who illicitly contacted jailed client
An experienced police station representative who communicated with a jailed client via a mobile phone he should not have had has been banned from the profession.
Ministry of Justice to launch call for evidence on open justice
The Ministry of Justice is to launch a “wide-ranging” call for evidence on open justice, access to information and transparency across the courts and tribunals.
SRA sanctioned for wrongly publishing trainee’s ban
The Solicitors Regulation Authority has been sanctioned in costs after prematurely stating that it had banned a former trainee solicitor from working for law firms.
Bank’s solicitor “may have owed duty of care” to third party
A bank’s solicitor may owe a duty of care to the seller of the property when filling in Land Registry paperwork to change the register, the Court of Appeal has ruled.
Knights moves into Bristol with acquisition number 19
Listed law firm Knights – which describes itself as now the UK’s largest commercial practice without an office in London – has moved into Bristol with its latest acquisition.
Law firm fails in bid to throw out claim assigned to litigation funder
A law firm being sued for wrongly releasing £2m it held in escrow among other alleged errors has failed in its bid for summary judgment on major elements of the claim.
