Solicitors
Disciplined solicitor blames failings on legal aid cuts
A criminal sole practitioner has been fined for offences which he blamed on having dispensed with his accounts manager after the firm suffered from legal aid cuts.
Heat rising over SRA plan for solicitors in unregulated firms
The Legal Services Board has received unprecedented lobbying against the Solicitors Regulation Authority’s plans to allow solicitors to practise from unregulated businesses.
Leading firm ordered to hand over part of client file to HMRC
National law firm DAC Beachcroft has had mixed success in fighting off a bid by HM Revenue & Customs to access a conveyancing file involving offshore clients.
Four solicitors struck off after leaving firm in £61m debt
Four solicitors have been struck off for their role at a Preston law firm which collapsed owing the scandal-hit Axiom Legal Financing Fund £61m.
Solicitor and barrister both sanctioned for drink driving
A solicitor and barrister have separately been sanctioned for drink-drive offences, although only the latter appeared before a disciplinary tribunal.
City lawyer “diverted client cash to own bank account”
A Spanish lawyer who sent “misleading” emails to divert £183,000 intended for his client to his personal bank account, has been struck off the register of European lawyers.
Divorcing man told: You can’t pay your lawyers without paying your wife’s
The husband in a divorce dispute cannot pay his lawyers a pound without paying a pound to his wife’s solicitors, the High Court has ruled.
Solicitor struck off after income tax fraud conviction
A solicitor who fraudulently claimed £37,000 in income tax repayments has been struck off. Her sentencing judge had said she was “wholly unsuitable to be a solicitor”.
£30k fine for solicitor who sought profit through overcharging
A solicitor who instituted a practice of “gross overcharging” in clinical negligence cases so as to maximise profits has been fined £30,000 by the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal.
Law firm rebuked after overcharging for deputyship work
A Dorset law firm has been rebuked after taking more money in costs than it was entitled to from a man subject to a deputyship order.
Fine for solicitor repeatedly caught drink-driving
A solicitor who was caught drink-driving three times in four weeks has been fined £8,000 – reduced to £2,000 due to his finances – by the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal.
Small businesses “less price sensitive” than expected, research finds
Small businesses are less price sensitive than expected, but value price certainty, unpublished research by the Solicitors Regulation Authority has found.
CA upholds role of privilege in company investigations
The Court of Appeal has overturned a ruling seen as driving a coach and horses through the protection provided to corporate clients by legal professional privilege.
SRA warns on fraudster infiltrators as small firms lose £7m
The Solicitors Regulation Authority has warned law firms to be on the alert for fraudster infiltrators after incidents at two small practices led to potential losses of over £7m.
Criminal lawyer who lied in witness statement is struck off
An experienced criminal law solicitor who broke the conditions on his practising certificate and then lied about it in a witness statement, has been struck off.
Blog
The AI legal leap: Why firms must adapt now or risk falling behind
Once known for its cautious approach to new technology, the legal sector has undergone a dramatic shift. Today, almost all firms in the UK use AI in some capacity.
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.
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