SDT strikes off solicitor for practising while bankrupt and not repaying £8,000 loan from vulnerable client
The Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal has struck off a solicitor for practising while bankrupt and dishonestly misleading the police that he worked for a firm when attending clients at police stations. He was also found to have breached conduct rules by failing to repay £8,250 he borrowed from a “vulnerable” elderly man he represented.
Cost of conveyancing rose by more than a third over past decade
The cost of conveyancing has risen 37% over the past decade, greater than the overall rise in the cost of moving home, new research has found. But it remains a relatively small proportion of the overall cost of moving home, however, which was put at £9,472 – although this was considerably more than people budgeted for.
Legal start-up using IBM Watson to improve access to justice wins financial backing
A legal tech start-up has won funding from the country’s leading social tech funder to help develop its speech-to-text tool, which also uses IBM’s Watson artificial intelligence (AI) system, so that it can be used in courts. Meanwhile, Dentons’ business accelerator has made its latest investment in an “AI-powered expertise finding platform”.
Training reforms no “panacea for diversity”, SRA report warns
The training reforms unveiled last week by the Solicitors Regulation Authority are “not a panacea for diversity” though they could make a “significant contribution”, a report for the regulator has concluded. The report also warned that the arrival of the solicitors qualifying examination in 2020 would make the training market “more complex to navigate”.
Academic “debunks” claim that UK is whiplash capital of Europe
The claim by insurers that the UK is the “whiplash capital of Europe” is a flimsy one based on unreliable data that has been cherry picked to support “specific reform agendas”, an academic has argued. He said this cast doubt on suggestions that fraudulent or exaggerated whiplash claims are common.
BSB paves way to lower standard of proof in disciplinary matters
The Bar Standards Board has opened the way to replace the criminal standard of proof in disciplinary matters with the civil standard, in a move that could well ripple across the profession amid growing pressure to adopt the civil standard uniformly.
High Court rejects appeal from barrister accused of forging letters
A barrister accused of forging client care letters has lost an appeal against his disbarment at the High Court. Mrs Justice Lang rejected Damian McCarthy’s argument that a Bar disciplinary tribunal was under pressure from the Bar Standards Board to convict him.
Court of Appeal orders controversial firm to compensate ex-miner for negligence
The Court of Appeal has overturned a ruling that Raleys – the controversial but now defunct Barnsley law firm – should not have to compensate a miner who argued that its admitted negligence had caused him to settle a claim at an undervalue. Otherwise, it would be “far too easy for negligent solicitors to raise huge obstacles to claimants”.
ABS targets continued expansion as ‘second cities’ strategy and non-legal services see turnover rocket
Fast-growing alternative business structure Knights Professional Services is on the look-out for its next acquisition and ‘second city’ location – as well as more non-legal services – after unveiling an increase of more than 60% in turnover over the past year to £33.5m.
Inmate wins damages after prisons open legally privileged letters
A prisoner has been awarded damages after officers at three different prisons where he was held opened legally privileged letters addressed to him. Sitting in the High Court, His Honour Judge McKenna said the fear of having his mail opened and read had deterred the inmate from pursuing his rights.
