Private Client
Major PE-backed law firms unveil latest acquisitions
Two fast-growing private equity-backed law firms in the North-West have unveiled acquisitions to boost their Court of Protection and personal injury practices respectively.
Solicitor cleared of misleading client and firm over LPAs
A solicitor accused of misleading her client and her firm about delays in registering lasting powers of attorney has been cleared, with her firm placing too much on her shoulders.
Solicitor who billed clients for work he had not done struck off
A private client lawyer who billed clients for work he had not done has been struck off by the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal.
Prison sentence for former executor who refused law firm’s requests
The High Court has imposed a suspended prison sentence on a former executor who failed to comply with court orders by not providing information to a law firm.
International wealth management firm to launch ABS
A wealth management and tax advice firm is to launch an alternative business structure later this year to create a “fully joined-up advisory platform” for its globally mobile clients.
More applications for probate being made without lawyers
Private client law firms could see client numbers fall as the court digitisation programme is helping more people submit probate applications themselves.
PE-backed firm sees capping billable hours as key to growth
A law firm that limits its solicitors to 25 billable hours a week has seen annual growth of 40% over the last two years.
No strike-off for solicitor’s “spontaneous dishonesty”
A solicitor who signed a deed as a witness to a signature when she had not actually been present has escaped being struck off.
Search fund buys conveyancing and private client law firm
An investor-backed search fund has acquired a conveyancing and private client law firm as the start of a ‘buy and build’ strategy aimed particularly at SME practices with succession issues.
Junior solicitor lied about applying for grants of probate
A junior solicitor who told clients, colleagues and others that she had submitted applications for grants of probate when she had not, has been struck off.
Probate firm boss jailed for contempt over missing estate money
The boss of an unregulated probate business has been sentenced to a year in jail for contempt of court after failing to reveal the whereabouts of £432,000 of an estate’s money.
Suspended sentence for online harassment of solicitors
The partner of a deceased solicitor has received a suspended sentence for contempt of court after breaching injunctions designed to stop her online harassment of his executors.
“Come and join us”, CLC tells conveyancing and probate specialists
Solicitors’ firms specialising in conveyancing and probate should know there is an alternative to the SRA, the chief executive of the Council for Licensed Conveyancers has said.
More than a third of wills contain at least one trust
Some 36% wills drafted last year contained at least one trust, highlighting the importance of private client lawyers having expertise in trusts, according to a large-scale study.
Legal market to grow “in all areas” as PE extends reach
The legal services market will grow across all practice areas in 2026 for the first time since Covid, researchers have predicte, while a growing private equity presence is “a continuing theme”.
Blog
How unstoppable AI is reshaping UK legal practice
At a time when most technology innovation still flows from the US and China, UK lawtech is attracting growing international attention and capital.
Modern vehicles: new injury profiles and new legal challenges
As the number of electric vehicles on UK roads continues to grow year-on-year, it is important to address the risks that come with their increased adoption.
The SRA needs to admit it got it wrong about SLAPPs
The High Court judgment in Ashley Hurst v SRA in January raises serious questions about the regulator’s approach to allegations of SLAPP-like behaviour.
