Private Client
Private client market report: More revenue, fewer firms
The private client market continues to grow, hitting £3.2bn this year, despite the number of law firms in it falling by 12% over the past five years, according to new research.
Fraudster turned will writer “should not have certified LPAs”
The Court of Protection has cancelled six lasting powers of attorney because the certificate provider, though a member of the Society of Will Writers, was a convicted fraudster.
Elderly client “did not understand” change solicitor made to will
A judge has criticised a solicitor who failed to ensure that an elderly testator with Parkinson’s disease understood a change made to his instructions.
Solicitor fails in appeal against rebuke for estate administration delays
A solicitor rebuked by the SRA for “substantial and unexplained delay” in the administration of an estate has failed in an appeal to the SDT.
Solicitor transforms firm into “probate unblocking” service
A private client solicitor has transformed his law firm into a specialist fixed-fee service which aims to unblock stalled probate matters.
Rebuke for solicitor “who relied on memory, not records”
A law firm owner who acted “based on her recollections as opposed to checking facts” has been rebuked after letting administration of an estate drift for six years.
Suspension for solicitor who let work as deputy drift for 16 years
A solicitor who acted as a deputy for 16 years and did little to protect her client’s interests in that time has been suspended from practice for six months.
Solicitor rebuked for continuing to act when clients were in dispute
A solicitor who continued to act for both executors of an estate after a dispute arose between them has been rebuked by the Solicitors Regulation Authority.
Big spike in conveyancing complaints to Legal Ombudsman
The Legal Ombudsman has reported a 41% increase in the number of complaints about conveyancing, driven by delays, poor communication and post-completion problems.
Angry family member in contempt for threatening probate solicitors
A man who threatened to “beat the shit” out of solicitors who acted as administrators of his aunt’s will has been found in contempt of court by the High Court.
Justice committee calls for quadrupling of probate fee threshold
MPs have called on the Ministry of Justice to increase the minimum threshold at which estates must pay probate application fees from £5,000 to £20,000.
Probate firms form partnership to formalise succession plan
A specialist private client law firm in the Midlands has launched a model to help other practices facing succession issues after announcing a deal with a probate firm in Plymouth.
Partner suffers AI-generated abuse after asking for a fee
A potential client has used AI to abuse a partner at a Bristol law firm, accusing her of being a “loathsome criminal” for wanting to charge for a consultation.
Solicitor used client money to keep within overdraft
A veteran solicitor who admitted billing clients for work he had not done to avoid his firm exceeding its overdraft has been struck off.
Judge condemns law firm’s “incompetence” in probate dispute
A law firm based in Hertfordshire has been severely criticised by a High Court judge for the “heinous” errors it made and its “simple incompetence” in pursuing a probate dispute.
Blog
How ELD NextGen will improve employers’ liability tracing
The Employers’ Liability Tracing Office is continuing work towards the launch of ELD NextGen, the next generation of the employers’ liability database, in early 2027.
Fifteen years on: Lessons from ABS reform
Fifteen years ago this month saw the very first alternative business structure. At the time, the prospect of non-lawyers owning law firms was dubbed ‘Tesco Law’.
Hybrid working and client money controls – be aware of the risks
For legal finance teams, remote working has changed how information moves, how approvals are obtained and how colleagues communicate.
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