Solicitor struck off after billing clients for work he didn’t do
A former senior partner who charged clients for work that had not been done has been struck off by the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal. The tribunal described the harm caused by David Michael Merrick, who had been a partner at Exeter firm Crosse & Crosse, as being “of the utmost seriousness”.
Would-be barrister fails in bid to lift vexatious litigant order
The High Court has rejected a bid by a would-be barrister to lift a decade-old declaration that she was a vexatious litigant, which she said was harming her prospects of becoming a lawyer. She has previously unsuccessfully sued the Law Society and College of Law dozens of times between them for alleged discrimination.
Bar’s “tribal culture” a barrier to clients and diversity, says BSB report
Barristers have a vital role in helping clients and witnesses understand the legal system but their own “distinct and tribal culture” is a barrier to doing so, a Bar Standards Board report has found. This culture was also seen as a barrier to improving diversity at the Bar.
SME law firm growth to slow in face of “new, post-recession norm”
This year could see small and medium-sized law firms struggle to match the growth of 2014 and 2015 as business levels settle into a new, post-recession norm, a major survey by NatWest has suggested. The bank also said that partners should be asking themselves whether the profit they made in 2015 was sufficient.
Solicitor sanctioned after lack of supervision meant trainee’s work did not count towards qualification
A solicitor whose lack of supervision contributed to a decision that a trainee’s two years of work did not count towards her qualification has been rebuked and fined £2,000 by the Solicitors Regulation Authority. It is the maximum penalty that the regulator can levy short of a referral to the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal.
Client-care letters in the spotlight as LSB urges lawyers to use plainer English
Greater prescription of how client-care letters are framed could follow a Legal Services Board report yesterday that said “inaccessible language” used by lawyers prevents consumers from accessing legal services. It said other sectors have developed guides, logos and customer information which made buying services less daunting.
Don’t fear AI, says tech chief – it will mean there are more lawyers in the future
There will be more lawyers in the future, not fewer, the head of Rocket Lawyer UK has predicted. Mark Edwards said that the size of the legal services market would grow, and the playing field between regulated and unregulated law firms be levelled.
Law Commission considers “incentivising” conveyancers to detect fraud by imposing new duties
Conveyancers may need to be placed under extra duties of care so as to reduce the risk of fraudulent changes being made to the Land Register, the Law Commission has suggested. A major review of the Land Registration Act 2002 also put forward ways the law could encourage the development of electronic conveyancing.
Bar Standards Board set to become ABS licensing authority
The Bar Standards Board has received the green light to license alternative business structures. The approval from the Legal Services Board needs to be confirmed by the Ministry of Justice. The BSB’s initial focus will be on “low-risk, advocacy focused ABSs”.
Legal services market is failing us, say small businesses
This is a “considerable failure” of the legal services market to meet the needs of small businesses, a major lobbying group has told the Competition and Markets Authority. The Federation of Small Business said the barriers small businesses face in resolving legal problems were “numerous”.
