Practice Management
IWD: Female innovators to launch She Breaks the Law
Three women working in the field of law firm innovation are launching a new network next month. She Breaks the Law aims to support female leaders who are “delivering legal services differently”.
IWD: Law Society sets out blueprint for gender equality
The Law Society has published 39 recommendations to help legal businesses deliver equality for women in the law, amid continuing reports of discrimination and harassment.
IWD: Women lawyers call for “radical change” to aid progression
Radical changes to flexible working arrangements, along with mentoring and sponsorship programmes, and improvements to parental leave have topped the list of reforms listed by women lawyers.
Tribunal orders defunct law firm to pay staff outstanding wages
A defunct family law firm has been criticised by an employment tribunal and ordered to pay two female members of staff unpaid wages and damages.
HMCTS extends court modernisation programme by a year
HM Courts and Tribunals Service has put back completion of the court modernisation programme by a year to 2023, it announced yesterday. It was originally planned to finish in 2020.
Susskind named chair of expert group to advise judges on AI
The Lord Chief Justice has set up an advisory group to provide senior judges with guidance on artificial intelligence, chaired by Professor Richard Susskind and including judges, academics and practitioners.
Trading Standards publishes guidance on conveyancing referral fees
The clock on a possible ban on referral fees from lawyers to estate agents has started running after new guidance on disclosure was published by National Trading Standards.
Solicitors and QC “cannot rely” on without prejudice negotiations
Allowing a City law firm and QC to rely on ‘without prejudice’ communications to defend allegations of professional negligence could “undermine the policy of encouraging parties to settle disputes”.
Three law firms now invested in fintech innovator
City giant Linklaters and US firm Orrick have joined Allen & Overy by investing in tech company Nivaura, a cloud-based service for the issue and administration of financial instruments.
High Court rejects City firm’s bid to strike out negligence claim
The High Court has rejected an application by global giant Dentons to strike out a negligence claim made against it as a third party.
Crime barristers threaten unilateral action over working hours
Criminal law barristers cannot go on without “sensible parameters” for sitting hours and overnight working and will take action if the judiciary does not, the head of their representative body said yesterday.
From law student to partner in less than 12 months
A trainee chartered legal executive has spoken about how she is due to become a partner in a law firm less than 12 months after finishing her law degree.
Ex-partner loses jurisdiction challenge over City firm’s refund demand
A former partner at City firm Watson Farley & Williams has lost his High Court challenge to an arbitrator’s ruling that he must repay almost $68,000 (£52,000) to the firm.
Solicitors gear up for leasehold negligence claims
National firm Simpson Millar has set up a team within its professional negligence department to handle potential actions against solicitors who failed to warn leasehold clients of damaging clauses.
University creates ABS to fuse law degree with work experience
Sheffield Hallam University has set up a standalone law firm so it can offer a law degree that incorporates mandatory work experience into every year of the course.
Blog
It’s time for law firms to ask tougher questions
For years, many law firms have treated ID verification as a box-ticking exercise. Run a liveness check, match a face to a document and move on. But that is no longer good enough.
Business fatigue to AI will risk job security
Whilst we know professional learning has always been part of career paths, to hire, retain and keep talent, AI needs to be embedded as a core part of this training.
On good authority? GenAI and the reputational risks to law firms
As GenAI’s influence grows, so do the risks which are already playing out in courtrooms across England and Wales, where some early adopters are setting precedents they would rather not.
