Fines for solicitors who ran SDLT avoidance schemes
Two partners of a former Yorkshire law firm have been fined by the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal for their involvement in stamp duty land tax (SDLT) avoidance schemes.
Tuesday deadline for uninsured law firms
Firms that have not secured professional indemnity insurance have until tomorrow to notify the Solicitors Regulation Authority. Despite the abolition of the single indemnity renewal date last year, 1 October remained the deadline for more than 90% of law firms.
SRA fines firm £2,000 for £2.5m stamp duty avoidance schemes
Leading Surrey firm Mundays has been rebuked and fined £2,000 by the Solicitors Regulation Authority for using stamp duty land tax avoidance schemes which saved clients over £2.5m.
Fusion Legal becomes latest Connect2Law hub to go its own way
East Midlands firm Nelsons has launched Fusion Legal, a new regional support network, following West Midlands firm FBC Manby Bowdler, which launched Hub.Legal this summer.
Former pupillage head launches judicial review over non-judge Visitors
Ben Conlon, former head of the pupillage committee at 3 Temple Gardens, has launched a judicial review arguing that the Visitors to the Inns of Court should made up only of High Court judges.
KPMG granted wide-ranging waivers from SRA rules
The Solicitors Regulation Authority has granted KPMG 12 waivers from the rules governing solicitors, in what appears to be a work-around ahead of proposed new rules that will make it easier for multi-disciplinary practices to become alternative business structures.
Legal Ombudsman to launch online complaints portal
The Legal Ombudsman (LeO) is to launch a complaints portal this month that will enable lawyers to manage all of their contact with the organisation online. LeO will also encourage consumers to manage their complaint through the portal.
March of the accountants, part 2: ICAEW announces first ABS licence
Top-20 firm Kingston Smith has become the first accountancy firm to be licensed as an alternative business structure by the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales to carry out probate work.
Law firm and charity join forces in groundbreaking ABS
Hampshire law firm Moore Blatch has teamed up with national spinal injury charity Aspire to launch the first alternative business structure of its kind. Aspire Law will open for business on 3 November, offering a specialist service to people with spinal cord injuries.
March of the accountants – now KPMG gains ABS licence
KPMG has become the second member of the ‘Big Four’ accountants to be awarded an alternative business structure licence. However, unlike PwC, KPMG said it has no intention of developing a standalone legal practice.
