EAT reinstates discrimination claim against law firm
A tribunal was wrong to dismiss a discrimination claim against a law firm on the basis of the claimant’s non-attendance at the hearing, the Employment Appeal Tribunal has ruled.
Judge overrides Essex firm’s objections to move case to Leeds
The liaison judge for the Administrative Court in the north has rejected an appeal from an Essex law firm that said it was not “convenient” for a case to be transferred from London to Leeds.
New conveyancing ABS using chatbot to cut transaction times
A conveyancing alternative business structure launched last month aims to cut transaction times by at least a month, using a chatbot to help clients complete a seller’s pack.
Simpson Millar exits most of private client in profitability push
National firm Simpson Millar is to exit private client services except for personal injury and family law as part of a major restructure sparked in part by the introduction next year of fixed recoverable costs.
CMA orders break-up of property search giant
The merger of two of the four big property search providers “substantially lessens competition”, the Competition and Markets Authority has decided, ordering Dye & Durham to sell TM Group.
MPs’ watchdog takes on barristers too as new BSB chair
Kathryn Stone is to add overseeing the conduct of barristers to her current role as MPs’ watchdog after she was appointed chair of the Bar Standards Board.
OIC mixed claims: 14 months on and still no nearer the Court of Appeal
Little progress has been made in the plan to take test cases of so-called mixed claims from the Official Injury Claim portal to the Court of Appeal, it admitted yesterday.
SRA eyes in-house alternative to Solicitors Indemnity Fund after u-turn
The Solicitors Regulation Authority has said it believes “a new consumer protection arrangement within the SRA” was likely to be more cost-effective than retaining the Solicitors Indemnity Fund.
Solicitor found in criminal contempt for “act of colossal stupidity”
A senior City partner who told a client to “burn” a private messaging app after it was served with a search order has been found guilty of criminal contempt of court.
SRA to reinstate annual fee for 60,000 non-practising solicitors
The Solicitors Regulation Authority is to go ahead with plans to reintroduce next April an annual application fee of up to £40 for non-practising solicitors who want to stay on the roll.
