
Gateley steps up diversification push with £20m acquisition
Pioneering listed law firm Gateley has stepped up its diversification push with its largest acquisition to date, the £20m purchase of chartered surveyors Smithers Purslow.

Personal injury ABS bosses fined for undeclared ATE commissions
Two managers of a collapsed personal injury law firm have each been fined £18,000 for failing to declare commissions earned by a connected business which provided clients with ATE insurance.

Big Four making ever deeper in-roads with corporate clients
UK corporate clients are increasingly turning to the Big Four accounting firms for legal services as alternative legal services providers take a bigger share of the market, new research has found.

Judge could hand down judgment despite settlement
A deputy master could hand down her judgment on a case that had been heard but settled the day before she was due to circulate a draft striking out the claims, the High Court has ruled.

Sophie Khan to face 11 charges at disciplinary tribunal
Details of the disciplinary case the Solicitors Regulation Authority will make against Sophie Khan – who was jailed for contempt after failing to give it her firm’s papers – were published yesterday.

Innovate UK backs law firm to develop reputational risk tool
A consortium led by City firm Kennedys has been awarded funding from Innovate UK to develop groundbreaking software able to identify and assess reputational risk.

Solicitor struck off for lying about existence of key evidence
A solicitor specialising in actions against the police who failed to disclose the existence of a warrant to counsel and the court has been struck off by the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal.

Comparison website targets unmet needs of SMEs
A new comparison website for SMEs, run by non-lawyers but backed by a senior City partner, aims to provide a “human hand to hold” as well as technology to address unmet need.

First chambers to set up abroad opens HQ in London
McNair International, the first set of chambers to set up outside England and Wales when it launched in Qatar in 2008, has opened a global HQ in London.

Barrister with council tax conviction fails in disbarment appeal
The High Court has rejected an appeal from a barrister disbarred after a council tax conviction and submission of dishonest evidence to a Crown Court.








