Stressed junior lawyers looking to move jobs, survey finds
Two-fifths of junior lawyers have looked for another job as a result of the level of stress their current role is causing them, according to a survey out today. Over 82% of the 959 respondents reported either regularly or occasionally feeling stressed in the month before completing the survey, with 26% of them being severely or extremely stressed.
Leveson sounds warning bell over lawyers shunning careers in criminal law
Failure to make criminal practice – whether for the prosecution or the defence – an attractive career choice will have “long term and detrimental consequences” for the quality of justice, the president of the Queen’s Bench Division has warned.
SDT criticises solicitor for “misleading” evidence on husband’s £80,000 investment in firm
The Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal has strongly criticised a solicitor who gave “misleading” evidence on her husband’s £80,000 investment in a personal injury firm, which it said encouraged her to pay banned referral fees.
Legal aid strike: Solicitors “should help clients represent themselves” if they can’t find barrister, says SRA
Criminal law solicitors unable to find a barrister because of their protest over legal aid fees “may need to assist the client to represent themselves as best they can” if the court will not grant an adjournment, the Solicitors Regulation Authority has warned.
Large London firms embracing agile working and AI could cut collective £495m rent
Twice as many large City law firms had adopted ‘agile working’ policies by the start of 2018 as had a year earlier, and have been quicker than non-law businesses to embrace artificial intelligence technology, according to a survey about office use. Between them, the top 100 firms – when ranked by office floorspace in London – spend a total of £495m per annum on rent.
Opposition raise serious doubts about Civil Liability Bill but several peers support overall direction
Both Labour and the Liberal Democrats yesterday questioned the government’s approach to reforming whiplash claims, although several peers in the House of Lords backed the overall direction of the Civil Liability Bill. The four-hour debate highlighted a number of concerns about the bill, and we have reported proceedings in detail.
Keystone shares push ever higher after strong maiden results as listed company
Keystone Law – the self-styled ‘challenger’ law firm that listed on AIM late last year – has unveiled strong annual results today, pushing its share price ever higher. The firm reported a 24% increase in revenue to £32m, with profit before tax up 63% to £2.9m. Underlying EBITDA jumped 43% to £3.27m.
SRA appeals “unduly lenient” penalty handed out to solicitor found guilty of sexual assault
The Solicitors Regulation Authority is to appeal a tribunal’s decision to suspend a solicitor found guilty of sexual assault as being too lenient, Legal Futures can reveal. Alastair Main was suspended for two years, but this was effectively less than a year as it was backdated to when he lost his job following his conviction.
Opposition to Civil Liability Bill steps up as peers prepare for first debate
Members of the House of Lords will today begin debating the Civil Liability Bill, with claimant lawyers arguing that new government figures discredit the whiplash reforms it contains. The second reading has also seen an Olympic gold medal-winning cyclist speak out and the Bar Council argue that the bill will not achieve what it intends.
Big firms share LGBT knowledge in SRA mentoring scheme
Small and medium-sized law firms will get free help and advice from some of the biggest firms in the country on how to become more inclusive employers under a pilot scheme launched this month by the Solicitors Regulation Authority.
