Marketing chief who took referral fee kick-backs banned from profession
The head of marketing at a firm that took money from the scandal-hit Axiom Legal Financing Fund has been banned from working in the profession after he accepted kick-backs from referral fees paid with Axiom money.
Criminal defence lawyers face “extinction” as profession unites to fight for justice system
Criminal defence lawyers in England and Wales could become “extinct”, the Law Society has warned on the back of data showing that this is an increasingly ageing part of the profession. It comes amid cross-profession unity for action over the huge damage lawyers say the government is causing the criminal justice system.
CMC which “rented” its authorisation to personal injury marketing company fails to overturn ban
A claims management company has failed to overturn the cancellation of its authorisation, which was found to have been “rented” to a marketing company which operated a call centre to generate personal injury leads. A judge said it was conducting “no business of its own” when the Claims Management Regulator intervened.
LSB bids to allay MPs’ concerns after rejecting their plea to hold back on SQE decision
The interim chair of the Legal Services Board has explained to MPs on the justice select committee why the oversight regulator rejected their plea to postpone a decision on the Solicitors Qualifying Examination. The committee called on the board to defer its decision for six months.
Barrister not to blame for repeat offender’s heroin conviction, Court of Appeal rules
A criminal silk was not to blame for a man being convicted of importing and supplying large quantities of heroin, the Court of Appeal has decided. Attique Sami argued that “no competent counsel” would have called a witness who gave “highly damaging evidence” against him involving 230kg of heroin with a street value of over £37m.
Government to introduce fixed costs for holiday sickness claims “in coming weeks”
The Ministry of Justice has met its timetable to introduce fixed recoverable costs for holiday sickness claims, announcing today that they will come into effect “in the coming weeks” and before the summer holiday season. It also for the first time put concrete figures to the widely quoted statistic that sickness claims have increased by 500% in recent years.
SRA unveils new rules for waivers and ‘safe space’ to promote innovation
The Solicitors Regulation Authority is to simplify its system for granting waivers to regulations in order to promote innovation. It is also formalising its ‘innovation space’, which it describes as a “safe space” which allows firms with novel ideas that may push the boundaries of the current rules to test them in a controlled way.
Only more complex cases are reaching us, says Legal Ombudsman as it hikes budget
Lawyers are getting better at handling complaints, meaning that those reaching the Legal Ombudsman are becoming more complex and costly, the organisation said last week in part justification for an increase in its budget for the second year running.
High Court rejects disbarred barrister’s appeal against refusal to readmit him to Gray’s Inn
A disbarred barrister whose bid to rejoin Gray’s Inn and starting practising again after 15 years was refused has lost an appeal to the High Court. An inns’ conduct committee said there was insufficient evidence to rebut the inference that he would reoffend, and a BSB review panel upheld this ruling, which the barrister then appealed.
New BSB-regulated firm targets young barristers and solicitors
A new law firm regulated by the Bar Standards Board aims to attract young barristers and solicitors interested in working together. Black Antelope Law is made up of two barristers, both of whom work on a direct access basis, and two solicitors. The lawyers work partly from home.
