Conveyancing fee-earner and two trainee solicitors banned from profession
An unqualified fee-earner who stole £569,000 from one of the country’s biggest conveyancing firms, and worked at other firms under different names before being sent to prison, has been banned from working in the profession. Meanwhile, two trainee solicitors have been banned, both for dishonest conduct.
“Game changing” online ventures gear up for launch
A lead generation website and connected mobile app designed to put younger consumers of legal services in touch with solicitors between appointments by tapping directly into their electronic diaries, will launch later this year.
BSB to consider whether chambers need ‘work allocation officers’ to ensure equality
The Bar Standards Board is to consider requiring that chambers have a ‘work allocation officer’ as part of its Women at the Bar equality project, it emerged yesterday. It will also look at whether women returning after maternity leave should not have to pay any contribution from their fees to chambers for a limited time.
SRA report 1: Firms “very wary” about costs transparency, fearing price baiting
There is concern among solicitors that forcing firms to publish their costs will lead to ‘price baiting’, with some firms using artificially low prices to get clients through the door before increasing the costs later. The Solicitors Regulation Authority survey found widespread wariness about the idea of price publication.
SRA report 2: Recommendation drives conveyancer choice but call for clearer price information
Consumers select conveyancing solicitors mainly on recommendation, but clearer online information about price would help them make better choices, research commissioned by the Solicitors Regulation Authority has found. It also showed that 82% of consumers were very or fairly satisfied with the service they received.
Solicitor plundered £1m from clients to keep firm afloat – with cost to be borne by profession
A solicitor who took £1m from his client account to keep his firm afloat has been struck off by the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal. It said that once Ian James Douglas had decided to embark on this strategy, the “downward spiral was rapid and devastating”.
Bristol fashion – Gordon Dadds makes second acquisition in two weeks
Listed law firm consolidator Gordon Dadds Group has made its second acquisition in as many weeks with a deal to buy Bristol firm Metcalfes Solicitors for an initial £2m, rising to a possible £6m. It also comes just days after Metcalfes acquired fellow generalist Bristol firm Burroughs Day from administration.
Law firm ownership “completely irrelevant” to risk, says SRA director
The ownership structure of law firms is “completely irrelevant” when assessing risk, a director of the Solicitors Regulation Authority said yesterday. Crispin Passmore also reaffirmed the regulator’s determination to change the approach to the minimum cover limit for professional indemnity insurance.
“Motivated by power and status” – solicitor Rahman struck off for election corruption
Lutfur Rahman’s actions in running for re-election as mayor of Tower Hamlets in London were “reprehensible, orchestrated, deliberate and dishonest”, the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal has ruled in striking him off. It was well known that Mr Rahman was a solicitor and “this would have had a significant detrimental impact on the reputation of the profession”.
Green light for digital conveyancing as CLC aims to be property regulator of choice
The government has approved rule changes opening the way for fully digital conveyancing. The changes will allow digital documents with e-signatures to be used both for land transfers and land registration. Meanwhile, the Council for Licensed Conveyancers has stated its ambition to become “regulator of choice for all property lawyers”.
