High Court throws out ‘named and shamed’ barrister’s disciplinary appeals
The High Court has thrown out two appeals against Bar disciplinary tribunal decisions by “named and shamed” barrister Tariq Rehman. It has also refused permission for him to proceed with two judicial reviews and had no truck with the arguments he put forward.
CLC seeks approval for solicitor-style indemnity scheme
The Council of Licensed Conveyancers has announced its intention to apply to the Legal Services Board to approve the introduction of a solicitor-style open market indemnity scheme. The move has triggered warnings that law firms may switch regulator from the Solicitors Regulation Authority to the CLC for the wrong reasons.
Only 30% of people with legal issues seek formal advice, biggest-ever survey finds
Only three in ten people who have a legal issue seek advice, and of them just over half go to a lawyer, the biggest ever survey of individuals’ legal needs has found. The poll of 8,192 people also found that assuming that services would be too expensive was the most common reason for not using solicitors.
LSB research highlights surge in Law Society spending on ‘permitted purposes’
Law Society spending on non-regulatory ‘permitted purposes’, such as law reform and practice support, surged by £6.3m in the four years between 2010 and 2014, research by the Legal Services Board has revealed. The research was part of the LSB’s investigation into the cost of legal services regulation.
Judges who viewed porn at work rebuked by SRA
One of three judges removed from the bench last year for viewing pornography from a work computer, along with another who resigned before he was removed, have accepted rebukes from the Solicitors Regulation Authority for their conduct.
The ‘fake’ lawyer who told top judges he was a solicitor receives SRA order
A ‘fake’ lawyer and three non-solicitor staff who have taken money from their firms have received banning orders from the Solicitors Regulation Authority. All are now subject to so-called section 43 orders, which prevent non-solicitors from being employed or remunerated by solicitors and their firms without permission from the regulator.
Online Court will include “limited” legal costs to aid unbundled advice, says Briggs
The new Online Court will not “ban lawyers” and there will be “a very limited element of fixed costs” so litigants can get initial legal advice, Lord Justice Briggs has said. He said the top limit for claims in the Online Court “may have to start at £10,000”, rather than £25,000.
‘Mystery shopping’ exercise finds firms do not follow up enquiries
Only a tiny number of law firms follow up enquiries from potential clients after making initial contact with them, ‘mystery shopper’ research has found. And even that initial contact is often too slow in a world where ever-more rapid responses are expected.
Barnett attacks “incredibly unfair” disciplinary regime for solicitors
Richard Barnett, the senior partner of collapsed conveyancing firm Barnetts, has attacked what he describes as the “incredibly unfair” disciplinary regime for solicitors. Mr Barnett lost an appeal against his striking off at the High Court earlier this week.
Chambers in “widespread non-compliance” with diversity rules, study finds
Large numbers of barristers’ chambers are flouting an obligation to publish diversity data and the Bar Standards Board has been “unsophisticated” in its implementation of Legal Services Board diversity rules, a significant study has concluded.
