Solicitors
Quarter of conveyancers “not transparent” on fees
A quarter of consumers believe their lawyer was “not transparent” on conveyancing fees, new research has shown on the day new price and service transparency rules come into force.
Law Society’s £30m cut of practising fees faces scrutiny
The £30m that the Law Society levies on solicitors for its representative work is to be put under the microscope by the Legal Services Board next year.
Struck-off solicitor fails to overturn sentence for conducting litigation
The Court of Appeal has refused permission for a struck-off solicitor to appeal against a suspended prison sentence handed out for conducting litigation in breach of the Legal Services Act 2007.
Law firm’s bid to trade mark ‘legal engineer’ rejected
The Intellectual Property Office has rejected much of a law firm’s bid to trade mark the term ‘legal engineer’, saying it should be free for anyone in the profession to use.
Solicitor rebuked and fined for dealings with journalist
A solicitor acting in a case of historical sexual abuse has been rebuked for sharing with a journalist a document that then formed the basis of an article, when he should not have done.
SRA quizzes big firms on sexual harassment policies
The Solicitors Regulation Authority has asked the country’s biggest law firms to explain how they prevent and respond to allegations of sexual harassment, it has emerged.
SRA “on wrong side of history” says Lewis after Twitter fine
The Jewish solicitor fined for posting offensive messages on social media in response to alleged neo-Nazi trolls has accused the SRA of being “on the wrong side of history”.
Sexual misconduct cases “fuelling big rise” in SDT hearings
A surge in sexual misconduct cases has triggered big rises in the budget and workload planned for the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal next year, it has emerged.
Dissolved company’s files “still privileged”, says court
Legal professional privilege can protect the documents of a dissolved company from disclosure, the High Court has ruled in a case involving global firm Dentons.
Solicitor who sent abusive emails to SRA is struck off
A solicitor who sent abusive emails to members of staff at the Solicitors Regulation Authority and former colleagues, and was convicted of possessing a knife in public, has been struck off.
Training review professors criticise “rudimentary” SQE
The four lead researchers behind the Legal Education and Training Review, which paved the way for radical changes in legal education, have criticised the Solicitors Qualifying Examination.
SRA seeks protection over transgender disclosures
The Solicitors Regulation Authority is pushing for protection for staff from criminal sanctions for disclosing information relating to transgender solicitors and other law firm staff.
Restraint order for man who accused solicitors of fraud
The High Court has slapped an extended civil restraint order on a man who claimed the application was an attempt “to legitimise” a law firm’s attempt to defraud him.
Solicitor suspended for firm’s work for dodgy trust business
A solicitor has been suspended for his role in his firm acting for a client that scammed elderly people out of £500,000 with so-called estate preservation trusts.
Partners failed to pay disbursements in bid to prop up legal aid firm
Three partners at a former legal aid firm have been fined a total of £40,000 for failing to pay disbursements as they struggled to keep the practice afloat.
Blog
The AI revolution: practice excellence is about to reach a new level
The crux of all conversations with law firms has been: “how can generative AI support greater practice and client service without compromising security?”
TikTok or TikNot: Is social media working for you?
The average law firm spends around a quarter of its marketing budget on social media but sees little in return, our research found.
Tomorrow’s legal landscape: helping firms prepare for change
Law firms must constantly question the status quo and be willing to adapt. Take nothing for granted. Never say ‘we’ve always done it this way’; never say ‘we’re lawyers and we’re different’.
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