Compliance & Regulation
SDT draws line where solicitors should stop acting for clients
Doubts about a client’s truthfulness is not a good reason for solicitors to stop acting, the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal has stressed.
SRA ordered to pay solicitor £50k in costs after failed prosecution
The Solicitors Regulation Authority has been ordered to pay a solicitor exonerated by a disciplinary tribunal £50,000 in costs.
GCs call on Law Society to withdraw whistleblowing guidance
A network of female general counsel has called on the Law Society to withdraw whistleblowing guidance for in-house lawyers, arguing that it “entrenches the longstanding bias against reporting”.
Strike off for solicitor who told colleague to lie
A family law solicitor who asked a newly qualified legal executive to lie to a litigant in person, having already lied to him herself, has been struck off.
Partner used client money to pay his tax bill
A partner at a London law firm responsible for dozens of unauthorised transfers from client account worth nearly £1.2m – in part to pay his tax bill – has been struck off.
Treasury urged to exempt conveyancers from tax adviser registration
The government has been urged to reconsider plans to make conveyancers register individually with HM Revenue & Customs as tax advisers because they deal with SDLT.
Head of property certified ID documents without seeing them
The head of commercial property at a law firm who certified a client’s ID documents as true and complete copies without seeing the originals has been struck off.
Lawyers back High Court decision on Zahawi solicitor
Lawyers have welcomed the High Court decision to overturn the finding of misconduct against Nadeem Zahawi’s lawyer – but Dan Neidle calls it surprising and concerning.
High Court overturns Zahawi solicitor misconduct finding
The High Court has overturned the finding of misconduct made about the solicitor for former Conservative Chancellor Nadeem Zahawi.
Ex-cabinet minister named Bar’s first Commissioner for Conduct
Former Conservative cabinet minister Dame Maria Miller – who used to chair Parliament’s women and equalities committee – has been named the Bar’s first ever Commissioner for Conduct.
No plans to review regulation of estate planning, says minister
The government has no plans to review the regulation of estate planning and trust-selling practices in the wake of the collapse of Anglo-Scottish law firm McClure, a justice minister has said.
Solicitor who lied to his law firm about having cancer is struck off
A solicitor who lied to his law firm about having cancer and forged a medical report relating to it has been struck off.
Justice minister urges regulators to toughen up on CFAs
The government has told the Solicitors Regulation Authority and Financial Conduct Authority of the need for “tougher, more consistent regulation of conditional fee agreements”.
Court orders LeO to reconsider decision due to missed evidence
The Legal Ombudsman has been ordered to reconsider part of its findings of poor service by a direct access barrister after it overlooked a key piece of evidence.
Mazur: Local government lawyers eye legislative change
The Lawyers in Local Government group is to seek “legislative clarification and reform” in response to the Mazur ruling, instead of intervening in the Court of Appeal
Blog
It’s time for law firms to ask tougher questions
For years, many law firms have treated ID verification as a box-ticking exercise. Run a liveness check, match a face to a document and move on. But that is no longer good enough.
Business fatigue to AI will risk job security
Whilst we know professional learning has always been part of career paths, to hire, retain and keep talent, AI needs to be embedded as a core part of this training.
On good authority? GenAI and the reputational risks to law firms
As GenAI’s influence grows, so do the risks which are already playing out in courtrooms across England and Wales, where some early adopters are setting precedents they would rather not.
