Report: lawyers could benefit from emissions-free future
The recently ratified Paris Agreement on ending human-caused CO2 emissions offers “huge new opportunities” for law firms to assist with the transition to a zero-emissions economy, a report has claimed. It said firms should consider “getting in on the ground floor” with advising companies producing electric vehicles.
AIM-listed company makes multi-million pound acquisition in bid to become UK’s leading conveyancing service
An AIM-listed provider of online B2B platforms – which white labels MoneySupermarket’s conveyancer search – has bought Conveyancing Alliance for an initial £7.2m as part of its strategy to become the country’s leading handler of conveyancing.
Solicitor who struggled with workload and used own money to pay clients ‘damages’ struck off
A solicitor who faked documents and used his own money to pay compensation to clients as he struggled to keep on top of his workload, has been struck off by the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal. A sympathetic tribunal said his naivety and inexperience “had been his downfall”.
SRA ordered to disclose report into law firm investigation
The Law Society’s freedom of information adjudicator has ordered the Solicitors Regulation Authority to disclose an investigator’s report, saying the regulator had overlooked “the public interest in transparency as a good in itself”.
Exclusive: Law Society chief executive resigns over reform failure
Law Society chief executive Catherine Dixon has resigned after two years in the role, citing the society’s failure to embrace governance reform, Legal Futures can reveal. She said the Law Society would not be perceived to have changed and be representative of solicitors without changing the way it is governed.
Clerksroom to pioneer pay-as-you-go video conferences with barristers
National direct access chambers Clerksroom is to offer clients pay-as-you-go video conferences with barristers by the end of this year, it has emerged. Clerksroom has also won a place in the final of Disruptive Tech TV’s sales pitch competition – recruiting one of the judges as a client in the process.
Divert court reform cash to legal aid and support for innovation, says LAG
Some of the over £970m earmarked by the government for civil and criminal court reform should be used instead to stem the collapse in spending on legal aid, the Legal Action Group has suggested. It argued that the civil legal aid system was “in free fall” and the underspend in its budget over the last three years should be reinvested in an “innovation and early intervention” fund.
Hacking of top law firms for inside information “a wake-up call to lawyers around the world”
The case of three men charged with insider trading based on information they hacked from prominent US law firms “should serve as a wake-up call for law firms around the world”, a New York prosecutor has said.
Fairpoint’s chief executive steps down as Slater & Gordon targets refinancing
City solicitor David Harrel has become temporary executive chairman of AIM-listed legal business Fairpoint Group after its chief executive, Chris Moat, stepped down. Meanwhile, Slater & Gordon announced last week that it is talking to its lenders about refinancing and recapitalisation.
Former law officer and enterpreneurial solicitor lead way for profession in New Year’s Honours
Law firm entrepreneur Chris Nott, founder and senior partner of Cardiff firm Capital Law, was among those from the profession to be recognised in the New Year’s Honours. Vera Baird QC, one-time Labour MP and Solicitor-General and before that a criminal defence barrister, became a Dame for services to women and equality.
