Ex-Shoosmiths employee awarded damages for PA’s “immigrants go home” comment
A Nigerian-born former administrative assistant at leading national firm Shoosmiths has been awarded damages for harassment after another member of staff standing by her desk said that “struggling immigrants should go back to their country”. But her other claims of discrimination and victimisation were rejected.
Solicitor’s dishonesty could cost compensation fund £600,000
A sole practitioner who admitted dishonesty misappropriating £100,000 of client money could end up costing the compensation fund over £600,000, the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal has said. Her motive was funding her business, and she tried to conceal what she was doing by false accounting.
Canada-style Brexit deal is equivalent of ‘no deal’ for legal services, says Law Society
A Brexit deal that mirrors the free trade agreement Canada has with the EU would be equivalent to a ‘no deal’ outcome for legal services, the Law Society warned today. It would also exclude issues such as co-operation in civil and criminal justice matters, and the recognition and enforcement of judgments.
Court of Appeal allows ‘whistleblowing’ managing partner to sue former firm for £3.4m
The ex-managing partner of a well-known law firm has won the right to sue his former firm for £3.4m under whistleblowing law. Andrew Roberts claims that he was constructively dismissed by the other partners of Salisbury practice Wilsons.
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”.
