Private Client
Judge excoriates “reckless and quite possibly dishonest” solicitor
The way a solicitor went about preparing a £100m will was “reckless and quite possibly dishonest”, the High Court ruled yesterday.
Immigration solicitor certified LPA without checking client’s capacity
An immigration solicitor certified a lasting power of attorney for a walk-in client without checking his capacity, allowing the man’s son and attorney to misuse some of his money.
Accountancy body refused permission to exit probate regulation
The Legal Services Board has refused to ‘de-designate’ an accountancy body as a probate regulator over concerns that its members are now practising unregulated.
Lawyers back Raab decision to extend remote witnessing of wills
Lawyers have welcomed yesterday’s government’s decision to renew the temporary legislation allowing for the remote witnessing of wills for another two years.
Accountants finally fall into line on price transparency for probate work
The Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales is finally set to impose compulsory price transparency on the accountancy firms that offer probate services.
Ince launches “most wide-ranging” private wealth offering
Listed law firm Ince has heralded a return to City firms offering private client services by launching an integrated private wealth offering for corporate clients.
Raab eyes “drastic action” to keep family disputes out of court
Justice secretary Dominic Raab is “in the market for something quite drastic and bold” to reduce the number of private law family cases in the courts, he said yesterday in a wide-ranging discussion.
Solicitor suspended for “dumping” hours on file to meet billing targets
A solicitor who “dumped” hundreds of hours of unjustified time on a largely completed file in a bid to meet his billing targets has been suspended for nine months.
LSB approves new regulator for accountant probate providers
The Legal Services Board has approved CILEx Regulation’s application to take over the regulation of probate work carried on by members of the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants.
Law Society attacks plan to end witnessing of LPAs
The Law Society has attacked plans to replace witnessing of lasting powers of attorney with electronic signatures and also force solicitors to use a digital portal.
Solicitor who “considered herself to be the client” is struck off
A solicitor “considered herself to be the client” while operating under a lasting power of attorney, sending bills to herself and massively overcharging the elderly client involved.
Solicitor who stole £275,000 from client’s estate struck off
A solicitor who abused his position as the executor of an estate and stole £275,000 from it to spend on an “excessive lifestyle” has been struck off by the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal.
LSB delays decision on new breed of accountant probate providers
The Legal Services Board has given itself more time to decide on whether to approve a new breed of law firm created by CILEx Regulation and the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants.
Accountants doing probate work failing on price transparency
Chartered accountants handling probate work are to face compulsory rules on publishing price and service information after their regulator admitted a voluntary approach had not worked.
Digital LPAs to be registered in two weeks under reform plan
The government has outlined plans to streamline and digitise lasting powers of attorney, cutting the time needed for registration in most cases from 40 to 14 days.
Blog
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The next phase of AI, already underway, will integrate text with vision, sound, motion and even touch. This will produce systems that no longer ‘read about’ the world but perceive it.
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Where once many law firm owners remained technology sceptics, a growing number are now shaped by leaders who are digitally fluent and commercially oriented.
