Revealed: LeO staff will not be forced to repay “irregular” benefits
Staff working for the Legal Ombudsman will not have to repay hundreds of thousands of pounds of “irregular” benefits they received from their employer, it has been decided. Having sought advice from the Treasury Solicitor, its board agreed that “repayment should not be pursued”.
Law Society: “Piecemeal” SRA reforms could create “perverse incentives”
The Law Society has launched a sustained attack on plans by the Solicitors Regulation Authority to introduce third-party accounts, allow referral fees in legal aid cases and remove the requirement on firms to carry out reserved activities.
Lifting referral fee ban will give green light to “least ethical” solicitors
Ending the ban on referral fees in legal aid cases risks approving the practices of some of the solicitors’ profession’s “least ethical and least professional members”, barristers have claimed.
LeO set to consult on accepting complaints from third parties and clients of unregulated providers
The Legal Ombudsman is set to consult on allowing third parties to complain about lawyers in certain circumstances, it has emerged. It will also consult on establishing a voluntary scheme that enables unregulated providers to give their customers access to redress
Plant: CBE a recognition of SRA progress
Charles Plant, the former chairman of the Solicitors Regulation Authority, has described the award of a CBE in the Queen’s Birthday Honours List as “recognition” of the work done by the regulator during his tenure. Mr Plant, who is now retired, was cited for services to legal regulation and education.
Judges must not speak out on matters “hotly debated in Parliament”, Beatson LJ says
It would be wrong for judges to “intervene or to comment while a matter is being hotly debated in parliament”, Lord Justice Beatson has said. He said that judges may have to respond in private in “exceptional circumstances”.
Exclusive: American ABS considering merger with accountants
The second alternative business structure to be set up by a US firm in the UK is considering a merger with a firm of forensic accountants, Legal Futures can reveal. Foran Glennon (UK) specialises in insurance work.
Appeal court surprised by solicitors’ partnership agreed “in the pub”
The Court of Appeal has upheld a High Court decision against one solicitor in favour of her former partner, after expressing surprise that the pair had no more than a verbal agreement made in the pub over a drink.
Firm shut down after solicitor who forged cheques as trainee is struck off
The Solicitors Regulation Authority last week shut down a north-west London law firm shortly after an accountant who went on to train as a solicitor at the firm was struck off for preparing fraudulent cheques and forging partners’ signatures.
Hat-trick of appeal wins for East London firm as it overturns wasted costs order
A small East London law firm has scored a hat-trick of successful appeals against sanctions after overturning a wasted costs order at the Employment Appeal Tribunal, following challenges to the Legal Ombudsman and Solicitors Regulation Authority.
