Pioneering council ABSs join forces to create biggest local authority legal team
The first local authority alternative business structure to be given a licence by the Solicitors Regulation Authority has been taken over by the second. Lawyers at Buckinghamshire County Council have joined HB Public Law, making it the largest local authority legal team in the country.
All change at the Ministry of Justice under new PM
It is all change at the Ministry of Justice yesterday after accountant Liz Truss was named as the first woman Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice, and it appeared that civil justice minister Lord Faulks was stepping down from his role.
SRA hits back over criticism of handbook rewrite
The chief executive and chair of the Solicitors Regulation Authority have hit back over criticism of their plans for a comprehensive rewrite of the handbook. They said allowing solicitors to work outside authorised entities would contribute to improving access to legal services and enforcement of civil rights.
Solicitor’s wife who admitted misappropriating client funds set to escape tribunal
A sole practitioner’s wife, who worked at the firm as bookkeeper before being dismissed by her husband, is set to escape a hearing at the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal.
Hundreds of lawyers sign up to online freelance marketplace
More than 600 solicitors and barristers have signed up to the online marketplace for freelance lawyers set up by LOD that goes live today. Spoke.law allows law firms and in-house teams that need short-term extra resource to hire freelancers on a day rate via a website.
Law Society and Bar Council ramp up Brexit preparations
The Law Society of Ireland has confirmed that English and Welsh solicitors will still be able to register to practise in Ireland as the profession steps up its preparations for Brexit. It came amid reports that other jurisdictions trying to take advantage of the uncertainty caused by Brexit to encourage parties to use them.
Solicitor who had mercy on fraudulent employee is fined £5,000
A sole practitioner who decided not to sack a fraudulent employee after discovering he had stolen almost £90,000 from the firm’s office account has been fined £5,000 by the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal. However, the SDT rejected 20 of the 24 allegations made against her by the Solicitors Regulation Authority.
Call for 18-month implementation period before introducing clin neg fixed costs
The Law Society has asked the government to give lawyers 18 months to prepare for fixed costs in clinical negligence work, it has emerged. It comes as uncertainty remains over if and when the reforms to personal injury (PI) claims will move forward.
Almost half of female barristers have experienced discrimination, major report finds
Almost half of female barristers have experienced discrimination at work and 40% have experienced harassment, a major report by the Bar Standards Board has found. Dr Vanessa Davies, director general of the BSB, described the findings as “very disappointing”.
Solicitor whose “dysfunctional firm” failed to pay stamp duty to HMRC is struck off
The “chaotic” situation at a solicitor’s firm was no excuse for her failure to pay stamp duty to the HMRC, the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal has ruled. It said her recklessness in failing to make the payments needed to register title to a property in London amounted to a lack of integrity, and ordered her to be struck off.
