Solicitors
Law firm owned by 18 partners’ companies among new waivers
The Solicitors Regulation Authority has issued 23 waivers from its rules under a new policy – 18 of which have gone to sole practitioner law firms which together make up another firm’s partnership.
Solicitors’ firms starting to switch regulator
Solicitors’ firms are moving their whole practices or conveyancing departments to the oversight of the Council for Licensed Conveyancers, it has emerged.
Call to protect compliance officers who report solicitors to SRA
There should be specific protection against victimisation for compliance officers who report their solicitors to their regulator, the Law Society has argued.
SRA wins £700k government grant to support firms using AI
The Solicitors Regulation Authority has won a £700,000 award from the government to accelerate the ideas of law firms and others to improve access to justice using AI.
Call for snap inspections of suspect immigration firms
The Solicitors Regulation Authority needs to be more rigorous pursuing “bent” solicitors “taking advantage” of the immigration system, according to a former judge.
Solicitor “about as dishonest as it could get”
A solicitor whose conduct “was about as dishonest as it could get” – and left the profession to pick up a £175,000 bill to compensate a vulnerable client – has been struck off.
Publishing prices “will encourage small businesses to use solicitors”
Publishing prices is likely to encourage small businesses that are wary of the cost of legal advice to start using lawyers, new research has suggested.
Multiple choice in SQE ‘better than people think’
Multiple choice questions will enhance the Solicitors Qualifying Examination if done well, according to the person charged with designing it.
New law firm compliance role for insurance goes live
A new compliance role for many law firms goes live today, with an insurance distribution officer required for those that advise clients on insurance policies.
High-profile solicitor facing tribunal over online spats with “neo-Nazis”
Renowned media lawyer Mark Lewis is to face a disciplinary tribunal over allegations that he posted offensive messages on social media, believed to be in response to alleged “neo-Nazi” trolls.
Solicitor cleared over advice to wrongly convicted client
A solicitor has been cleared by a disciplinary tribunal over an accusation that a failure to do his job properly led to a client being wrongly convicted of assault.
Non-solicitor fee-earners sanctioned for creating false letters
Non-solicitor fee-earners at two law firms who created fake letters – one for his own direct benefit – have been sanctioned by the Solicitors Regulation Authority.
SRA pushes for lay majorities on disciplinary panels
Panels sitting in the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal should have a lay majority under a new regime where the civil standard of proof applies, the SRA has argued.
London firm sanctioned for breach of undertaking
A London law firm that breached an undertaking given during a property transaction – in part because of a recalcitrant client – has been rebuked and fined £2,000.
Solicitor fined over actions when receiving legacies from clients
An experienced solicitor has been fined £7,500 over misconduct in relation to clients who left him gifts in their wills, including a house that later sold for £478,000.