Confiscation order for doctor jailed after duping solicitors with fake invoices
A doctor who fraudulently submitted false medical claims worth £183,000 to unwitting solicitors has been jailed for two years has been ordered to repay the money or face another two years in prison. Benjamin Chang was found guilty of one count of fraud by false representation and for being in possession of articles for use in fraud and money laundering.
Put constitutional right of access to justice at heart of LASPO review, MPs say
The government review of its legal aid reforms should reflect this summer’s Supreme Court ruling on access to justice as a constitutional right, the justice select committee said. It has also highlighted the merits of investing in early legal advice, even though the government recently pushed back on the notion.
Sports group invests in north-west practice to offer legal services to clients
Premier League footballers including former Manchester United and England striker Andrew Cole are set to be among high-profile sporting clients of a law firm that has taken investment from a sports and media group after becoming an alternative business structure.
Group of 48 investors settles misrepresentation claims against US law firm
A boutique City litigation practice has successfully settled claims by a group of 48 investors against US law firm Locke Lord, it has emerged. Last month, the firm was fined a record £500,000 after a former partner was found to have run dubious high-yield investment schemes.
MoJ formally rules out review of legal regulation and complete independence for regulators
The current framework of legal regulation is “inconsistent”, the Ministry of Justice accepted today, but said it could not commit to the formal review sought by the Competition and Markets Authority and others. It also said it would not take forward the plan to completely separate legal regulators from representative bodies.
Lammy review: MoJ rejects judicial diversity targets, cautious on choice of duty solicitor
The Ministry of Justice has rejected the idea of diversity targets for the judiciary and magistracy in its response to the Lammy review of the treatment of black and minority ethnic people in the criminal justice system. It said it would investigate giving accused people a choice of duty solicitor and early access to a barrister, subject to a “cost-benefit analysis”.
Appeal court rejects convicted VAT fraudster’s claim that solicitor forced her to drop appeal
The Court of Appeal has rejected the arguments of a convicted VAT fraudster that her former solicitors pressured her to drop an appeal that included a claim that they represented her badly and helped land her in jail.
‘Silver splitters’ seek out amicable divorce service as it announces £470,000 funding boost
‘Silver splitters’ are finding their way to a pioneering online divorce service, which uses divorce coaches instead of lawyers as part of its goal of making the process as painless and low-cost as possible. Amicable App, launched in January this year, has recently raised £473,000 from a range of angel investors.
Another majority decision as SDT denies Leigh Day costs order
The Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal has again reached a highly unusual majority decision in the Leigh Day case, this time on the costs of the case. Two members of the tribunal decided that there should be no order for costs, but the third member argued that Leigh Day should be awarded 40% of its costs of the proceedings.
Knowles increases investment in The Link App as it seeks crowdfunding boost
The Link App, the communications application for law firms and their clients created by former The Apprentice candidate Lauren Riley, has launched a crowdfunding campaign to raise £300,000 as it continues to establish itself. Sir Nigel Knowles has taken over as chairman of the company.
