BSB delays student aptitude test by a year
The Bar Standards Board last night delayed the introduction of an aptitude test for asprising bar students – which it had hoped to do this year – by 12 months. The test assesses analytical and critical reasoning, and fluency in the English language.
SRA under pressure to ban solicitors from offering cash inducements to bring claims
The Solicitors Regulation Authority is under pressure to ban solicitors from offering potential claimants up-front inducements to bring an action so as to bring them in line with new rules coming into force for claims management companies.
Clients pushing big law firms to improve risk management, says survey
Clients are expressing much more concern about the way the largest UK law firms are managing risk than before – and than the firms’ own lawyers, a survey has found. While just 21% of lawyers perceived risk management to be a “key priority”, 47% of clients thought it was.
High Court overturns SDT fines and questions absence of sanctions guidance
The High Court has expressed surprise that the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal does not publish guidance on the sanctions it might impose, in a judgment overturning fines levied against four partners at a firm where a member of staff stole over £100,000. The case should give “encouragement to those who have been poorly treated by the tribunal”, it has been claimed.
Army major launches ABS brokerage
A former major in the Army has launched a brokerage for alternative business structures, bidding to put law firms together with private equity investors. He predicts that it will be commoditised practices run along corporate lines that will most likely attract external investment.
Plant in warning to Law Society as ABS application and new handbook approved
City firms, conveyancers and other sectors of the legal profession could seek their own sector-specific regulation if the Law Society fails to approve the Solicitors Regulation Authority’s application to become an alternative business structures regulator, SRA chairman Charles Plant warned today.
SRA to consider giving consumers guidelines on how much to pay solicitors
The Solicitors Regulation Authority is investigating whether to provide consumers with guideline price ranges for legal services, it has confirmed. The move follows a call to provide better information to clients about solicitors’ services.
TAG solicitor to fight High Court ruling upgrading fine to striking-off
A solicitor involved with failed claims handler The Accident Group is to appeal against a High Court order to strike him off, after it ruled that a Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal decision to impose a fine was too lenient.
SRA uses new power to publicly rebuke and fine solicitor for first time
The Solicitors Regulation Authority has used its power to fine solicitors for the first time, Legal Futures can reveal. A sole practitioner was given a written rebuke and fined £1,000 for failing to comply with an undertaking.
Consumer confusion boosts case for strict controls over unreserved work
New consumer research from the Solicitors Regulation Authority has strengthened the case for stringent controls of law firms and alternative business structures which seek to hive off unreserved legal work to an unregulated business.
