What price unity? Criminal solicitors question why Bar is at the negotiating table without them
Criminal defence solicitors have questioned the unity in the profession to reform the justice system after highlighting how the Bar has asked for solicitors’ support in its fee dispute without reciprocating or involving them in the discussions.
Legal Services Board slaps Law Society with first ever public censure
The Legal Services Board has handed out a public censure for the first time, after finding that the Law Society had governance arrangements in place that could have interfered with the Solicitors Regulation Authority. The Law Society’s actions undermined “the public interest in effective regulation of legal services”.
Payment processor replaces conveyancers in “UK’s first fully digital mortgage settlement”
A payment processor has taken the place of conveyancers in handling the finances on completion day in what has been claimed to be the UK’s first fully digital mortgage settlement. It could spell the end to clients waiting with the removal van in the afternoon for money to be transferred between lawyers.
BSB opens door to alternatives to pupillage as it shakes up training courses
The Bar Standards Board has decided that the 12-month period for work-based learning – pupillages and other formats that may develop – should remain but made changes to the way vocational and on-the-job training is delivered. It will also peg the minimum pupillage award – currently £12,000 – to figures from the Living Wage Foundation, currently just over £17,000 for London.
Here we go again – Government renews bid to make directors personally liable for nuisance calls
The government is set to finally make good on its pledge to make the directors of companies which make unsolicited nuisance calls personally liable if their firm breaks the law. The announcement yesterday generated big tabloid headlines, but in fact the government made the same one more than 18 months ago but did not act on it.
Courts Service: Flexible hours still on the table but “not about savings”
The Courts Service is still “considering views” on introducing flexible operating hours, which provoked an angry reaction from the profession last year. Chief executive Susan Acland-Hood admitted that the service did not need flexible hours to deliver its promised savings from modernisation.
LOD targets further growth after private equity firm takes controlling stake
LOD – the flexible lawyers business previously known as Lawyers On Demand – has become the latest legal business to take private equity after Bowmark Capital, which specialises in investing in growth companies, became its principal shareholder.
Solicitor fined by SRA for over-claiming from legal aid fund
A sole practitioner who claimed more than twice the criminal costs he was entitled to after successfully defending a client has been fined £2,000 by the Solicitors Regulation Authority. He said he had “very little experience of criminal defence work”.
High Court rejects Axiom solicitor’s appeal against being struck off in his absence
The High Court has rejected the appeal of a solicitor struck off for his involvement with the failed Axiom Legal Financing Fund after it found the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal was entitled to proceed with hearing the case in his absence. It found his claims about his ill-health were really an attempt to stop the proceedings altogether.
Barrister sanctioned for shouting at solicitor and distressing client
A barrister whose treatment of a client and a solicitor “could be characterised as bullying behaviour” has been reprimanded and fined. However, a Bar disciplinary tribunal said the fine would have been more severe were it not for the “exceptional mitigating circumstances in this case”.
