Solicitor received £1m from bogus legal aid claims and then abandoned practice
A solicitor who took £1m from the legal aid fund by fabricating cases and making hundreds of improper claims, and then abandoned his practice, has been struck off. On the first day of a two-day Legal Aid Agency visit, he said he had a problem with one of his children and had to leave – the investigating officer never saw him again.
SRA warning over sexual misconduct NDAs “put solicitors in difficult position”
The Solicitors Regulation Authority’s warning about using non-disclosure agreements in cases of sexual harassment puts solicitors in a difficult position and may even discourage reporting, it has been claimed.
Conveyancers “doing a decent job” but leasehold information a concern, says SRA
A fifth of those buying leaseholds do not recall their solicitors giving them key information such as the length of the lease remaining, service charges and ground rent, according to research commissioned by the Solicitors Regulation Authority. But overall, conveyancing clients were generally happy with the service they received.
Solicitor fined for bombarding colleague with offensive messages
A solicitor who bombarded a work colleague with “deeply offensive” and racist messages has been fined £5,000 after a tribunal found that a reduction in the medication he was on led to the misconduct. It did not accept the Solicitors Regulation Authority’s argument that he had a duty to maintain his health and ensure the messages were not sent.
Overt racial discrimination at Bar a ‘common experience’, BSB event told
At the present rate, it will be 100 years before the percentage of black and minority ethnic QCs mirrors the general population, an event on improving race equality at the Bar heard last month. One black QC said there were times when he had turned up at court in a suit and was seen as anyone but the lawyer.
Parliament warned of ‘threat to profession’s independence’ over legal aid funding decisions
There is a “worrying trend” towards potential government interference in decisions over the grant of legal aid that threaten the independence of the profession, a leading solicitor warned parliamentarians this week. She also highlighted the so-called ‘embarrassment clause’ put into criminal contracts by the Legal Aid Agency.
Six Cobbetts partners fined over firm’s collapse but “manifest incompetence” allegation is dropped
Six former leaders of defunct firm Cobbetts have been fined by the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal for their actions as the firm was going under. However, the Solicitors Regulation Authority withdrew an allegation that they exhibited “manifest incompetence” in the way they ran the firm.
Barrister fails in JR of harassment warning over tweets to fellow counsel
A barrister involved in a public spat with another barrister has failed in her attempt to judicially review a police decision to issue her with a prevention of harassment letter, which she claimed breached her human rights. Barbara Hewson said her tweets had to be seen in the context of a wider campaign against her.
Judge orders husband in bitter divorce case to stop emailing wife’s solicitor
A High Court judge has issued a restraining order to stop a man in a long-running divorce case from contacting his former wife’s solicitor on her private email address. Mr Justice Mostyn said “it is completely unacceptable that this form of harassment should take place”.
Low salaries dog debt-ridden young legal aid lawyers, says social mobility report
More than half of young legal aid lawyers are earning less than £25,000 a year, yet more than a quarter start their careers carrying more than £35,000 debt as a result of their education, according to a survey of lawyers in the sector. It found low salaries were a “significant barrier”, although the sector still held an attraction for idealistic recruits.
