SRA to crack down on criminal law firm ‘touts’
There are increasing reports of ‘touting’ by criminal defence law firms – where they use agents to approach potential clients, even if they already have representation – the Solicitors Regulation Authority has warned.
SQE will become part of law degrees and make LPC “redundant”
Some universities will incorporate the first stage of the proposed Solicitors Qualifying Exam (SQE) into their law degrees, the education and training director of the Solicitors Regulation Authority has predicted. She said this would make the legal practice course redundant.
Barrister disbarred over antisemitic and racist tweets
A barrister who sent out a series of anti-semitic and racist tweets has been disbarred by a Bar disciplinary tribunal. The tweets by unregistered barrister Ian Millard in November 2014 were found to be “seriously offensive”. He has also been reported to the police.
MoJ set to press ahead with regulatory independence
The Ministry of Justice has no intention of dropping its plans to separate the legal regulators from their representative bodies, it said yesterday as it unveiled reviews of how the Legal Services Board and Legal Ombudsman are operating.
SRA to warn public over solicitor “middlemen” giving investment scams credibility
The public is to be warned that solicitors are operating as “middlemen” to facilitate fraudulent high-yield investment schemes, the Solicitors Regulation Authority has revealed. The SRA is to educate the public about the dangers of what it described in a draft warning notice it plans to distribute as “‘get rich quick’ scams”.
ABS round-up: Sports law firm plans to bring anti-doping science in-house, plus much more
A London-based sports law firm that counts among its clients the tennis star Maria Sharapova and world champion cyclist Lizzie Armistead, has become an alternative business structure with the aim of bringing analysis of substances in-house. We also round up ABS news from Crawford Legal, Gateley, Express Solicitors and Redde.
Do not sacrifice small law firms in favour of unregulated sector, tribunal tells SRA
The Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal has launched a passionate defence of the sole practitioners and small law firms which “currently fill the consumer gap at competitive prices”, following the “passing away” of legal aid. They should not be sacrificed in favour of allowing solicitors to practise from unregulated businesses, it said.
Solicitor sanctioned for “inappropriate advances” to junior member of staff
The Solicitors Regulation Authority has rebuked and fined a male solicitor who made inappropriate sexual advances on a junior female member of staff. The former partner was fined £1,000 and also agreed to pay £300 costs and publication of the regulatory settlement agreement reached with the regulator.
SRA gets busy with rebukes for solicitors acting where there was a conflict of interest
A law firm and a solicitor have separately been rebuked by the Solicitors Regulation Authority for acting where there was a conflict of interest. Other rebukes have been handed out to a firm that did not comply with Legal Ombudsman decisions and a solicitor who said he was a sole practitioner when he wasn’t.
Supreme Court finds for solicitors’ insurer over liability for firm’s debt
The professional indemnity insurer of an insolvent law firm is not required to repay the £581,000 a disbursement funder lost due to the firm’s breach of contract, the Supreme Court has ruled. The justices overturned the Court of Appeal by 4-1.
