Chief Legal Ombudsman to follow organisation’s chief executive out of the door
The Chief Legal Ombudsman is to leave her post, it has been announced – just days after the government praised the work she has done to revive the standing of her organisation and a few weeks after the service’s chief executive said he was leaving too.
Judges “left uneasy” by professionals challenging regulators as litigants in person
Judges are “left uneasy” by professionals presenting their own challenges to regulators as litigants in person and ignoring the “best points” available to them, the High Court has heard. Mr Justice Green said that it was an “unfortunate feature” of regulatory proceedings that while the regulator was represented, the appellant, who did not qualify for legal aid, “frequently was not”.
Solicitor who used office account “as personal account” is struck off
A sole practitioner who did not have a client account and admitted using his office account “at times as a personal account” has been struck off by the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal. The tribunal heard that Michael Healey, based in Liverpool, misappropriated over £31,000 of client money before going bankrupt.
CMCs rake in over £6bn in past 10 years of regulation
Claims management companies have earned over £6bn in the past decade, new figures from the Claims Management Regulator have shown. In a special anniversary report to mark 10 years of regulation, the CMR said that the number of CMCs had shrunk from a peak in 2011 of 3,213 to 1,388 in 2017.
Vexatious ex-solicitor’s “hyperbole” leaves High Court judge speechless
A High Court judge has extended a general civil restraint order against a struck-off solicitor for a further two years after her “hyperbolic” claims rendered him almost speechless. The ex-solicitor contended that her case involved “the most important question ever asked in the history of civilisation since the birth of time”.
Government rules out complete separation of regulators from representative bodies
The government indicated today that it will not go ahead with plans to completely separate legal regulators from their linked professional bodies, such as the Solicitors Regulation Authority and Law Society. It came in a review of the Legal Services Board and Office for Legal Complaints that found both “generally operating efficiently and effectively”.
Record-breaking fine for White & Case over conflict and confidentiality breaches
US law firm White & Case has been fined £250,000 by the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal – five times the previous highest for a firm – over client conflict and confidentiality rule breaches. The tribunal yesterday approved an outcome agreed by the firm and the Solicitors Regulation Authority that in addition a partner should be fined £50,000.
Government to press ahead with raising PI small claims limit as ABI figures show motor fraud is falling
The Ministry of Justice has confirmed that the Civil Liability Bill will, as expected, include rises in the small claims limit for personal injury claims and a fixed tariff for compensation as a former Goldman Sachs banker has been given responsibility for steering it through the House of Commons.
“Satisfaction levels do not tell the whole story” – consumer panel defends survey findings
The findings from the Legal Services Consumer Panel’s latest tracker survey that people are generally satisfied with their lawyers does not detract from the concerns over their lack of shopping around before choosing one, the panel has said. “Those who access the service are satisfied, but what about those who can’t?” it said.
Land Registry steps up “frictionless” digital conveyancing project as it expands legal team
An expanding team of more than 100 HM Land Registry lawyers dealt with 100,000 legal enquiries last year, although the organisation has stepped up digital reform efforts aimed at automating key parts of the registry’s work. For instance, the piloting of a digital mortgage service, part of a plan to enable paper-free legal deeds, will be widened later this year.
