Exclusive: Accountants abandon bid to train up their own litigators and advocates – for now
Accountants who want to offer tax litigation and advocacy services under an expanded regulatory regime will have to employ a lawyer after the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW) abandoned its attempt to train up its own members.
PI claimants can still use lawyers for small claims work, says justice minister
The government yesterday gave little indication that it was prepared to yield over its proposed reforms to personal injury, arguing that raising the small claims limit would not stop claimants using lawyers. Justice minister Sir Oliver Heald questioned whether a £40 cut in premiums should be sacrificed to uphold a 25-year-old limit that operates “in the interests of solicitors”.
Report highlights delays in SRA bringing disciplinary cases to tribunal
Figures from the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal have highlighted gaps of a year or more between some decisions by the Solicitors Regulation Authority to refer cases for prosecution and actually sending over the case papers.
Court of Appeal to refer City law firm to SRA and DPP after revoking £500,000 costs order
The criminal division of the Court of Appeal has taken the unusual step of announcing its intention to refer a City law firm to the Solicitors Regulation Authority. The move came after the court ordered businessman Hitendra Patel and criminal law specialists Neumans to repay interim costs of £500,000 to the Lord Chancellor at a hearing last month.
Judge overturns SDT decision to clear Axiom fund solicitors
The High Court has overturned a decision by the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal that cleared two solicitors accused of misusing £573,000 lent to their law firm by the controversial Axiom Legal Financing Fund.
Law firm rejects “idiot” tag for identifying unmarked police cars
A criminal law firm has hit back at a Sunday tabloid newspaper story that quoted a senior policewoman who condemned as “idiotic” its Facebook posts identifying unmarked police cars. The firm told readers that while other firms “will promise you the earth… we’re more practical”.
Online wills venture with big-name backing stakes everything on simplicity
Online wills start-up Farewill hopes to motivate people to make wills by attracting them with simplicity and branded design rather than extensive add-ons. The founders of property website Zoopla and short-term loans business Wonga, together with the tech investment arm of advertising agency M&C Saatchi Plc, have backed the venture.
Partners fined for failing to supervise thieving cashier
Two law firm partners have been fined by the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal for failing to properly supervise a legal cashier who stole over £30,000 from their firm’s office account. She also cashed cheques made out to the firm, but these were repaid by the bank as it was not meant to allow anyone other than a partner to do so.
Dixon swaps solicitors for farmers
Outgoing Law Society chief executive Catherine Dixon is to take up the same role at one of the largest agricultural and further education colleges in the UK. Askham Bryan College, which is near York, has nearly 4,000 students at sites across the north of England.
Solicitor sanctioned for letting residual client balances build up and not registering LPAs
A solicitor who built up residual client balances of nearly £200,000 has been rebuked and fined by the Solicitors Regulation Authority – six years after he was advised as to his conduct for the same failure. He also admitted failing to register lasting powers of attorney on behalf of clients.
