In-house solicitor wins libel damages for ‘struck off’ claim
An in-house solicitor has won £18,000 in libel damages after a post on two football fan websites wrongly claimed that he had been struck off. Graham Woodward works for the Oyston Group of companies, which includes Blackpool Football Club, many of whose supporters have been campaigning against its owner for some time.
Public interest crowdfunding platform raises $2m for US expansion
CrowdJustice, the online funding platform for public interest legal cases, has raised $2m (£1.5m) from an investment round to expand its presence in the United States. CrowdJustice’s founder and chief executive told Legal Futures that it was an important time to be in the US to help give voice to people “between elections”.
Partners who were “authors of their own misfortune” fined £35,000 by SDT
Two partners at a high street firm have each been fined £35,000 by the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal for multiple accounts rule breaches – very much at the higher end of the financial penalties it usually hands out. One was also found to have breached the money laundering regulations and both failed to act with integrity.
Competition tribunal scolds Law Society over disclosure failure
The president of the Competition Appeal Tribunal has reproached the Law Society for a “deeply unimpressive” explanation of its failure to disclose all the documents it should have done in the Socrates case. It is the second time that the society’s conduct of the case has been singled out for criticism by Mr Justice Roth.
Senior partner sanctioned for “completely unacceptable” correspondence with litigant in person
The senior partner of a south London law firm has been sanctioned by the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal for unprofessional and “completely unacceptable” correspondence with a litigant in person, in which he accused her of lying, disgraceful behaviour and arguing with a judge “like a fisherwoman”.
Law firm launches data analytics team to help lawyers predict the future
Insurance law firm BLM has set up a specialist data analytics team to help its lawyers make better predictions about their cases. Headed by a solicitor and a data scientist, it uses machine learning, a form of artificial intelligence (AI), to predict the length, cost and result of litigation.
ABSs making their mark in £22bn legal market, report finds
Alternative business structures account for just 5% of all law firms but nearly 12% of total turnover in a market worth £22.3bn, the annual snapshot of the solicitors’ profession has shown. It also revealed that women will become the majority of practising solicitors this year.
SRA asks High Court for tougher sanctions for solicitors in £21m Ecohouse collapse
The High Court will hear an appeal by the Solicitors Regulation Authority later this month for tougher sanctions on two West Midlands solicitors, suspended for their involvement in a collapsed Brazilian property investment scheme. But the scheme’s liquidators have “reluctantly” decided not pursue legal action against their firm.
Law Society publishes first slavery and human trafficking statement
The Law Society has issued its first slavery and human trafficking statement, in compliance with the Modern Slavery Act 2015, emphasising its commitment to ensuring that “such practices have no place within its supply chain or other activities”.
Socrates case stayed for quantum discussions as tribunal orders Law Society to pay up to £230,000 in costs
The fall-out from the decision that the Law Society breached competition law looks set to last for several more months after the Competition Appeal Tribunal laid out the timetable for determining damages. It also ordered the society to pay Socrates Training’s costs up to a maximum of the approved budget of £230,000.
