Judiciary threatens to pull out of Online Court pilot over lack of communication from officials
The judiciary has threatened to withdraw from the Online Court pilot – which could go public by the end of this month – if there are “any further false claims or data” about the project from Her Majesty’s Court and Tribunals Service. The pilot, for money claims under £10,000, could move from invitation-only to ‘public beta’ stage on 26 March.
Gauke: LASPO review likely to extend beyond summer
The government’s eagerly awaited LASPO review is unlikely to be published by July, which was the original goal, justice secretary David Gauke admitted today. The Lord Chancellor has also made it clear that the Ministry of Justice would not be carrying out any of its own research as part of the review.
Legal input “needed after blockchain”, says fintech solicitor in wake of pioneering deal
Lawyers will be vital to high-end fintech deals even after blockchain transactions become mainstream, according to a solicitor at the forefront of innovating with cutting-edge technology. He was speaking after helping to secure a pioneering use of the distributed ledger to transfer financial securities.
Exclusive: Accountants to challenge government decision on rights to handle legal work
The Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales has launched judicial review proceedings against the Ministry of Justice over the decision to deny its members the right to conduct litigation, advocacy and legal instruments work, Legal Futures can reveal.
Simpson Millar rebuked and fined for role in £4.5m SDLT avoidance schemes
National law firm Simpson Millar has accepted a rebuke and £2,000 fine from the Solicitors Regulation Authority for promoting stamp duty land tax avoidance schemes which cost HM Revenue & Customs over £4.5m. The sanction is the most the SRA can hand out without referring the firm to a disciplinary tribunal.
Information Commissioner upholds MoJ refusal to disclose Leigh Day emails
Disclosing documents relating to disciplinary proceedings against Leigh Day for its handling of Iraq war claims would involve a manual search of 5,000 documents and cost over £10,000, the Ministry of Justice has argued. The details emerged in a ruling by the Information Commissioner’s Office.
Court of Appeal rejects law firm’s plea to overturn SRA intervention
The Court of Appeal has rejected a City law firm’s second appeal against being shut down by the Solicitors Regulation Authority over improper charges. Lord Justice Singh said there was “an air of unreality” about the appeal by Neumans against the High Court ruling.
SRA threatens firms with disciplinary action for failing to comply with new AML obligations
More than one in ten law firms assessed for compliance with government money laundering obligations brought in last June have been referred to the disciplinary process, a proportion which if extrapolated to the wider profession would amount to over 1,200 firms.
Solicitor struck off for role in Ponzi scheme
A solicitor jailed for his role in a Ponzi scheme – in which he used his professional credentials to persuade people to invest– has been struck off. Stephen Pickard, formerly of Leeds firm Lupton Fawcett, is currently serving an eight-year prison sentence.
Chakrabarti backs affirmative action to boost number of senior women judges
It is time to consider “targeted and time-limited affirmation action” to deliver a significant increase in the number of women in the senior judiciary, the Shadow Attorney General has argued. Baroness Chakrabarti, the barrister who used to head Liberty, said she had seen “the enormous catalysing effect” such measures can have.
