Solicitor “proud” to have run £3.4m loan scheme with client cash
A solicitor who loaned £3.4m from clients’ estates and private lenders to other clients and “known individuals” – a broking operation he had carried out for decades – has been struck off.
No implied retainer between law firm and businessman
There was no implied retainer between a businessman who found himself on the wrong end of an expensive short-term loan and the law firm acting for the lender, the High Court has ruled.
Legal aid lawyers under severe pressure because of Covid
Four-fifths of legal aid lawyers have experienced stress as a result of the pandemic, with more than half of them blaming longer working hours, according to a survey.
High Court overturns “flawed” SDT decision to clear solicitor
The Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal “fell into serious error” in finding no case to answer against a solicitor accused of making a fraudulent costs claim, the High Court has ruled.
Leading firm eyes rapid growth by building “house of brands”
Midlands-based law firm Shakespeare Martineau has outlined a strategy to attract mergers, acquisitions and hires to a “house of brands” and double in size by 2023.
Family lawyers “must be forced to follow good practice”
Family lawyers should be forced to follow good practice to protect children from “acrimonious legal representation”, and should embrace multi-disciplinary practice, a major report has concluded.
Dentons trials workflow app that “could remove” unconscious bias
A global law firm is trialling a workflow app developed by one of its associates, who says it could save City practices up to £6m a year by making work allocation more efficient.
Hundreds of Gateley staff sign up to share options
Around a third of Gateley’s 1,000 staff have taken up options under the listed law firm’s latest save as you earn share scheme, while Ince Group has a new major shareholder.
“Reckless” conveyancer agrees to leave profession
A “reckless” solicitor who admitted registering properties with the wrong purchase price and failing to carry out anti-money laundering checks has agreed to leave the profession.
Solicitors oppose move to digital signatures for LPAs
The vast majority of solicitors want to retain the rule that donors must physically sign lasting powers of attorney (LPAs) rather than move to electronic signatures, a survey has found.
