Law firms secure 18-month indemnity deals in ‘soft’ insurance market
Law firms have taken advantage of a soft insurance market to secure 18-month professional indemnity insurance deals at a “very good” rate, a report has found. More firms were asking about additional cover to protect solicitors against defence costs in disciplinary proceedings, in the wake of the Leigh Day case.
Consumer panel chair jumps ship to Legal Ombudsman after just a year in post
The Legal Services Consumer Panel is on the hunt for a new chair after the incumbent jumped ship after just a year to become a member of the Office for Legal Complaints, the body that oversees the Legal Ombudsman. Meanwhile, the Law Society has named the members of its new main board, a key part of its new governance structure.
The countdown begins: Whiplash reforms to be introduced in April 2019
The government plans to introduce its whiplash reforms in April 2019, it emerged today. The Motor Accident Solicitors Society said it has today been told that ministers have agreed for the personal injury reforms to be implemented from that date, with an initial focus on RTA.
High Court: SRA should have held oral hearing before deciding not to admit would-be solicitor
The High Court has ordered the Solicitors Regulation Authority to make a fresh judgment of a would-be solicitor’s character and suitability to join the profession after finding that it had wrongly denied her an oral hearing to explain an issue that it decided showed dishonesty.
Pay of up to £300,000 on offer for next Law Society chief executive
The next chief executive of the Law Society could earn £300,000 after the job was finally advertised – more than a year since the last one quit. The post comes with a salary of up to £230,000, a bonus of up to 30% and a defined contribution pension scheme.
Court of Protection: SRA regulation allows for immediate approval of trust corporations
Trust corporations wanting to act as property and affairs deputies for incapacitated people must be regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority to gain immediate approval, the Court of Protection has said.
SDT: Criminal conviction does not automatically mean solicitor has failed to uphold rule of law
A solicitor convicted of sexual assault did not fail to uphold the rule of law and the proper administration of justice, the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal has ruled in a decision that will have implications for future prosecutions of those with criminal convictions.
Legal infrastructure behind blockchain contracts takes shape
The English lawyer behind a bid to provide legal backing to deals involving both the virtual world of blockchain and real world commerce, has forecast that in a decade most global trade will be governed by arbitration agreements coupled with smart contracts.
Repair company employee convicted for passing on customer details for PI cold calls
A former worker at an accident repair firm who downloaded and sold the personal data of motorists to nuisance callers has been convicted under the Data Protection Act of unlawfully obtaining and disclosing data. Meanwhile, a barrister has been reprimanded after leaving documents on the London Underground.
SRA appeals SDT ruling on mental health and dishonesty as plethora of ‘forgery’ cases highlights differing sanctions
The Solicitors Regulation Authority is to appeal to the High Court over the sanction imposed by the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal in a ground-breaking ruling last month on mental health and dishonesty, Legal Futures can reveal. The case involved fabricating and backdating documents, which is becoming increasingly common misconduct.
