Big firms talk up benefits of legal apprenticeships
Apprenticeships offer significant benefits to both young people and their employers, allowing law firms to plan their staffing several years in advance, a conference heard last week.
Police question solicitors’ lack of terror finance reports
The low number of suspicious activity reports made by solicitors relating to possible terrorist financing indicates under-reporting, a senior policeman told the profession this week.
MoJ: No change to whiplash reform timetable
The Ministry of Justice is continuing to work towards April 2020 to implement the whiplash reforms despite the upcoming election, it has confirmed.
MPs sound access to justice alarm over court reform
Enhancing access to justice appears to be ancillary to the court modernisation programme rather than its central goal, MPs warned yesterday.
Review spells out toll of cyber-crime on law firms
A study of 40 law firms which suffered a cyber-attack over the past three years has found that more than £4m of client money was stolen from 23 of them.
“Turn-around” specialist sought to head Legal Ombudsman
The Legal Services Board is looking for a person with experience of “turn-around situations” to become the new chair of the Office of Legal Complaints, the board which oversees the Legal Ombudsman.
LSB builds case for ‘continuing competence’ push
The Legal Services Board has heard calls for regulators to take a more “hands-on” approach to ensuring that lawyers remain competent through their careers.
Bar Council attacks “overwhelming” handbook updates
The Bar Council has strongly criticised the Bar Standards Board for bombarding barristers with updates to its handbook which risked becoming “overwhelming”.
Conveyancers “need not fear” home buying shake-up
A “single source of truth” that contains all the information about a property before it goes on the market is in the works as part of plans to speed up the home buying and selling process, it has emerged.
Mega-survey highlights need to grow “legal confidence”
The largest legal needs survey ever run in England and Wales shows what a difference professional advice and ‘legal confidence’ among consumers makes to the outcome of their matters.
