SRA: Most firms secured insurance but mergers on the rise
This year’s indemnity insurance renewal season has not been as bad as some had predicted, but there has been an uptick in mergers and acquisitions, the SRA has revealed.
Virus backlogs must not become “new normal”, says Lord Chief
The Lord Chief Justice told MPs yesterday that he is “extremely concerned” that the backlogs that have grown across the justice system since March should not be “viewed by anybody as the new normal”.
Bar Council braces for £3m loss as Covid hits profession’s income
The Bar Council is bracing for a £3.2m loss next year with revenue from practising fees – which are tied to barristers’ income – set to tumble because of Covid-19.
Public does not “fully understand” role of SRA
Members of the public still do not “fully understand” the role of the Solicitors Regulation Authority and leads to complaints about its service, the organisation’s independent reviewer has found.
Leading firm signs up to solicitor’s ‘Fair Redundancy Pledge’
Law firm Shakespeare Martineau has become the first major business to sign up to a ‘Fair Redundancy Pledge’ to be transparent on their redundancy programmes for this year and beyond.
Womble Bond partners fined over client account failures
A former partner at Womble Bond Dickinson has been fined for using the firm’s client account as a banking facility, as has a current partner who unwittingly took over after he left.
Barrister gave court wrong address to “fraudulently” obtain divorce
A barrister who deliberately gave the court a wrong address “with the intention of obtaining a divorce fraudulently” has been disbarred.
Abuser fails in argument that ‘Covid pressure’ made conviction unsafe
The Court of Appeal has refused a man leave to appeal his conviction on the ground that the jury may have felt under pressure to return a verdict because the coronavirus crisis was developing.
Unregulated firms “will force traditional practices to get better”
The change last year allowing solicitors to practise from unregulated businesses will force traditional law firms to improve their service offering, the Competition and Markets Authority has been told.
Solicitor used ‘rubber’ cheques to hide client money misuse
A solicitor who moved client funds around different accounts to hide the money he was taking for himself – and caused pay-outs from the SRA Compensation Fund – has been struck off.
