Dentons employs AI to boost Brexit advice
Global firm Dentons has made its play to be a key adviser to companies on the impact of Brexit by developing a cognitive search engine tool that can be used for Brexit-related contract reviews. It is also working on a software application that automatically creates a ‘Brexit action plan’ for clients.
COFA sanctioned after client account was used as banking facility
A practice manager who is his firm’s compliance officer for finance and administration has been rebuked and fined by the Solicitors Regulation Authority for letting his firm’s client account be used as a banking facility among other offences.
Former partner loses age discrimination appeal over firm restructure
The Employment Appeal Tribunal has dismissed an appeal against a decision that a top-100 regional law firm was not guilty of age discrimination against one of its partners, after he was not offered a new partnership when it restructured.
High Court overturns SDT decision to throw out “badly prepared” case against solicitors
The High Court has overturned an unusual decision by the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal (SDT) to strike out for abuse of process the prosecution of five solicitors because the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) had failed to put forward a “coherent or manageable case to answer”.
Lawyer fined for dealing with clients behind firm’s back
A legal executive who acted for clients without telling her employer, and paid client money into her own bank account, has been fined £2,000 and restrictions placed on her practice now that she has qualified as a solicitor.
Price index “will bring transparency” to legal fees
A lawyer-matching platform has answered the growing clamour for charging transparency with a price index based on its database of 15,000 quotes, broken down into detailed categories of commercial work. The move should give clients an idea of average fees at market rates.
Barrister cops double suspension after immigration conviction
A barrister who was convicted last year of practising as an immigration adviser while his registration was suspended, has now been suspended from the Bar as well. Meanwhile, four unqualified immigration advisers have been convicted of offering services without being registered by the Office of the Immigration Services Commissioner.
Briggs presses ahead with Online Court and challenges profession to get to grips with unbundling
Lord Justice Briggs published his final report on the structure of the civil courts and retained his strong support for the creation of an online court for claims worth up to £25,000, although he has shifted position to say that parties should be able to recover a limited amount of legal costs.
Solicitors will not countenance ‘self-dealing’ but are less bothered by those who bring weak cases
Solicitors view “self-dealing” – acting in their own, rather than the client’s, interests – money laundering, bribery and falsifying a CV as the most serious rule breaches, and bringing weak cases and mismanagement problems as the least, a major report has found.
Reprimand for barrister who encouraged client to seek out damaging information about fellow counsel
A barrister who encouraged a client to search online for damaging information about another member of the Bar, and then told her to deny that he had done so, has been reprimanded by a Bar disciplinary tribunal. It is the second reprimand from a tribunal for the barrister in eight months.
