Partner duped by bogus solicitor and clients into paying away sale proceeds
A law firm owner whose “wholly inadequate” compliance systems led to him being duped by two bogus clients and by a bogus solicitor has been struck off.
Legal expenses insurance coming to aid of solicitors in whiplash claims
Many solicitors are managing the claims going through the Official Injury Claim portal with the support of enhanced legal expense insurance policies, an accident management firm has reported.
Land Registry moves towards “gamechanger” type of e-signature
HM Land Registry is to pilot the use of qualified electronic signatures that do not need to be witnessed, which it said could be a “gamechanger” for conveyancing.
Solicitors suspended for role in quick-sale property scheme
Two solicitors who breached the trust of vulnerable clients in need of cash by acting in a dodgy quick home sale scheme have been suspended from practice.
Big Four “cornering the market for legal solutions, not advice”
The Big Four accounting firms are taking advantage of the changing legal market and “cornering the market of solutions, rather than advice”, a report has argued.
Law firm M&A activity focused on non-legal services
Merger and acquisition activity in recent weeks has focused more on complementary, non-legal services rather than straight law firm combinations, our regular round-up shows.
BSB mulls scrapping ineffective student aptitude test
The Bar Standards Board is considering whether to scrap the Bar course aptitude test after an analysis showed that fewer than 1% of students have failed it.
Solicitor who “considered herself to be the client” is struck off
A solicitor “considered herself to be the client” while operating under a lasting power of attorney, sending bills to herself and massively overcharging the elderly client involved.
Law firms “must turn diversity aspirations into reality”
Law firms must try harder to turn aspirations to improve their diversity into reality, according to an employed barrister who has founded a diversity consultancy.
Huge delays persist in taking civil court claims to trial
Delays in cases going through the civil courts reduced slightly in the second quarter of 2021, but it still takes 49 weeks to get a small claim from issue to trial and 71 weeks for larger claims.
