Compliance & Regulation

A breach of the anti-money laundering rules by Dentons, the world’s largest law firm, was “inadvertent” and did not amount to professional misconduct, the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal has ruled.

A law firm employee who diverted a client’s stamp duty refund to herself – via an unwitting friend’s bank account – has been barred from the profession.

The Solicitors Regulation Authority revealed yesterday that it has more than 20 live investigations into solicitors and law firms involved in the Post Office scandal.

The SRA has imposed a control order on a law firm’s office manager who took money from client account to pay wages and “prop” up the practice.

Law firms have been told that moves to switch regulators to avoid fee caps being introduced for handling financial services mis-selling claims will be closely monitored.

Being employed by companies or law firms can give barristers more protection when faced with ethical challenges than those in private practice, it has been suggested.

Solicitors have been warned by their regulator about undertaking adequate due diligence on mergers and acquisitions and putting client interests first when striking the deal.

A law firm whose compliance officer for finance and administration stole £157,000 has been fined for not having proper systems governing payments from client account.

A solicitor who withdrew from a Family Court hearing over a fee dispute so late that he left his client no chance to find a replacement has been rebuked by the SRA.

A male senior partner found guilty of multiple instances of sexual misconduct in the office with junior female staff – including having sex with one on a desk – has been suspended for two years.