Solicitor loses appeal against order to give evidence on Russian client’s assets and not tip him off about it
A solicitor compelled to give evidence about a billionaire Russian client’s assets, and forbidden from revealing his court appearance to the client, has lost his appeal against those orders. He complained about being given just three days’ notice to attend court, which he described as an “ambush”, and that the issues he was questioned about were covered by legal advice privilege.
Government issues defence of plan to ban cold-calling
The government has issued a wide-ranging response to criticisms of whether its plan to ban cold-calling will be effective, saying that making the Financial Conduct Authority responsible for it would risk “confusing consumers and industry”.
Dispersed practice offers commercial lawyers the chance to create ‘firms within firm’
A dispersed commercial law firm based in Birmingham is offering solicitors the chance to set up their own firms while working as self-employed consultants. Sandip Sohal, director of My Business Counsel, said two partners from a London media firm and two more from an international City practice had taken up the offer.
Tribunal rejects solicitor’s agreement with SRA to strike him off over dubious investment schemes
A solicitor who agreed with the Solicitors Regulation Authority that he would be struck off for his role in dubious investment schemes involving carbon credits has ended up being suspended for a year after a tribunal decided that the sanction was not justified.
Government “disingenuous” in use of PI small claims limit figures, argues union
The government and insurance industry are being “disingenuous” to insist that the small claims limit has not been increased since 1991, a leading trade union has insisted USDAW also said that insurers’ argument that “damages inflation” justified a £5,000 limit for road traffic accident cases was plain wrong.
Law firms dealing with insurance products given breathing space over new rules
Personal injury lawyers, conveyancers and other solicitors who arrange or advise on insurance policies have been given a stay of execution from complying with new rules under a European directive that was due to come into force last Friday.
Another Axiom solicitor struck off, leaving £10m liability to investors of collapsed fund
Another solicitor has been struck off for his involvement in the Axiom Legal Financing Fund, while his junior partner has been suspended indefinitely after a tribunal found that he had bullied her. The firm borrowed just shy of £6m, but its total liability to the fund was more than £10m, none of which has apparently been repaid.
Shiner given extended bankruptcy order after trying to give away £500,000
Struck-off solicitor Phil Shiner has had his bankruptcy extended by five years after he gifted away nearly £500,000 worth of assets to family members before declaring himself bankrupt and was unable to pay £6.5m back to his creditors. The Official Receiver is now in the process of selling his house.
AI beats average legal mind but not best-performing lawyers
The latest ‘man versus machine’ contest, which pitted human lawyers against artificial intelligence technology, has shown the machine to be superior in both accuracy and speed. But the best-performing lawyers exceeded even the AI, although it was claimed that they did so in unnatural circumstances for a busy lawyer.
BSB backtracks on plan to force barristers to publish prices and first-tier complaints
The Bar Standards Board has backtracked on many of the elements of its plan to force barristers to publish prices and service information – most notably by suggesting that instead of putting hourly rates on their websites, chambers should simply have to tell potential clients to contact them for a quote.
