News

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The Solicitors Regulation Authority has revealed that it is investigating law firms involved in “dubious” high-yield investment schemes – and promised to close down those practice involved in them “urgently”. It said these schemes were costing consumers “many millions” of pounds,

The Law Society has raised its opposition to the Solicitors Regulation Authority’s (SRA) plan to allow practising solicitors to operate from unregulated law firms to an unprecedented level, issuing a report that said there would be little or no economic benefit from the move.

Saga, the over-50s insurance and travel company, has closed its legal services business, Legal Futures can reveal – but said it may yet return to the market in future. The company was hit by the collapse last year of Parabis, with which it had set up a joint venture alternative business structure, Saga Law, in late 2013.

A regulatory agenda that is looking to help consumers shop around for legal advice means that many law firms are running out of time to get to grips with customer service, a report being launched at today’s PI Futures conference has warned.

A court has arranged for a woman whose child suffered “shocking” injuries at home to be represented by a new law firm in family law proceedings after her previous solicitor was found to have a conflict of interest on both professional and personal grounds.

The Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal has struck off a solicitor after she was convicted on four counts of providing immigration advice or immigration services while suspended from practice. The judge at Luton Magistrates’ Court had described “a trail of destruction towards vulnerable people she left in her wake”.

NAHL Group plc – the AIM-listed legal marketing and services business that owns National Accident Helpline – expects to play a “more pro-active role in the entire conduct and financing of a PI case” following the government’s next round of reforms, it told the stock exchange today.

Two people have been charged with bribery over the alleged leak of customer data by a former employee of insurance company LV= to a claims management company. It is the first time that officers from the City of London Police’s insurance fraud enforcement department have charged suspects with offences under the Bribery Act.

A gender gap in salaries continues to dog the solicitors’ profession, with men earning on average almost a fifth more than women, according to an earnings survey conducted by the Law Society. Meanwhile, a niche City law firm that shares its profit among all staff has paid out more than the equivalent of a year’s salary to every employee in four years.

An associate who acted for clients in his own time because they could not afford the fees of the firm he worked at has been rebuked by the Solicitors Regulation Authority. He charged the clients lower fees but was not authorised or insured to act.