Compliance & Regulation
Barrister disbarred following conviction for legal aid fraud
A barrister jailed in 2024 for defrauding the Legal Aid Agency by falsely claiming defence legal costs has now been disbarred.
Legal regulators’ Post Office probes “could fail” due to lack of powers
The Horizon Compensation Advisory Board has expressed concern about the powers of legal regulators to investigate the lawyers involved in the Post Office Horizon scandal.
Solicitor who practised for over a year without insurance struck off
A sole practitioner who practised for over a year without professional indemnity insurance has been struck off by the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal.
Small firms, sole practitioners and conveyancers heap pressure on SRA
The SME & Boutique Law Firm Alliance wants to press ahead with a vote of no confidence in the SRA board, while the Sole Practitioners Group has started a petition.
Row over vote of no confidence in SRA to rumble on after AGM
The question of whether solicitors should hold a vote of no confidence in the board of the SRA remains up in the air following the Law Society AGM.
Head of CPS and health regulator named new SRA chair
Caroline Corby, the chair of both the Crown Prosecution Service and the Professional Standards Authority, has been named new chair of the Solicitors Regulation Authority.
Small firms alliance unhappy with call to back down on SRA vote
The SME & Boutique Law Firm Alliance has expressed concern about pushback to its plan to call a vote of no confidence in the SRA board at tomorrow’s Law Society AGM.
Charity eyes judicial review over SRA’s approach to complaints
A charity for litigants in person has sent the SRA a letter before claim for judicial review over rejecting reports from members of the public without investigation.
Solicitor who “preferred interests” of one client over others struck off
A veteran solicitor who “preferred the interests” of one client in property transactions over the interests of his co-owners has been struck off.
Ethics, AI, wellbeing and supervision to the fore in competence review
A stronger focus on ethics, as well as new provisions on AI, supervision and wellbeing, are set to be added to the statement of solicitor competence.
AI poses “existential threat” to immigration cases, tribunal warns
The ability of AI to generate documents and other material could pose “an existential threat to the integrity of the immigration appeal system”, the Upper Tribunal has warned.
Solicitor fined for misleading mentally ill client
A solicitor who misled a client over a psychiatric report to “avoid exacerbating” their mental health problems has been fined £15,000.
Small firms launch campaign to keep client interest
The SME and Boutique Law Firm Alliance is asking firms to sign an open letter to Prime Minister Andy Burnham over the proposals to appropriate client account interest.
Banks “will cut rates” if government takes client account interest
Banks will cut the interest they pay on law firms’ client accounts from up to 3.75% to 1% if the government goes ahead with its plan to take most of the money.
Solicitor who tried to cover up claim service failure struck off
A solicitor who sought to cover up his failure to serve a claim on the defendant by fabricating a letter and then misleading the court has been struck off.
Blog
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.
AI can interrogate your contracts – but are they ready for questioning?
Suppose a law firm wants to review a client’s entire real estate portfolio for risk in the leases. Not long ago, that meant a multi-week project. Today, first-pass answer can arrive in minutes.
Why onboarding has become a strategic priority for law firms
One of the most influential stages of the client journey – client onboarding – often receives less strategic attention than it deserves.
Reports
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