Solicitors
Solicitor suspended for sending offensive tweets
A senior solicitor who sent offensive tweets about Islam, Catholicism and Judaism – and also retweeted some – has been suspended from practice for 18 months.
Barco shuts as commercial escrow providers emerge
Barco, the Bar Council’s third-party escrow service used by barristers and solicitors, has shut down after “suitable” commercial providers entered the market.
LSB: SMEs attracted by firms with price transparency
When small businesses believe they can trust the transparency of legal providers on fees, they are twice as likely to seek the advice of lawyers, according to the Legal Services Board.
Alcoholic solicitor struck off for stealing fees from clients
A solicitor with alcohol problems who took thousands of pounds in cash payments from clients and dishonestly failed to declare them to his firm has been struck off.
Jail for solicitor duped by “millionaire” conman
A lawyer who lost her firm, career and home after she stole client money to fund a penniless conman who falsely claimed to be a multi-millionaire has been jailed.
Solicitor who made fake legal aid claims is struck off
A solicitor who made thousands of pounds worth of fraudulent legal aid claims has been struck off. He created fake attendance notes for hearings that never took place.
SRA seeks to clarify threshold for reporting misconduct
The Solicitors Regulation Authority is looking to clarify the threshold used by law firms when deciding whether to report concerns over misconduct.
High Court rejects solicitor’s appeal against suspension
The High Court has rejected an appeal by a solicitor against his suspension by a tribunal but struck down some of the conditions for his return to practice.
Solicitor falsely billed law firms to feed cocaine habit
A solicitor who was convicted of fraudulently submitting false invoices for police station work to fund his cocaine habit has been struck off.
NDA furore: Employment lawyers back more ethics training
Employment lawyers support targeted ethical training in the wake of the furore over NDAs, while the Bar Standards Board is to issue guidance on their use.
Suspension for solicitor convicted of ABH against ex-boyfriend
A family law solicitor convicted of actual bodily harm after she hit her former boyfriend in the face with a glass has been suspended from practice.
Clients “losing millions” as fraudsters target solicitors
Fraud is hitting the solicitors’ profession ever harder, with tens of millions of pounds of client money lost to cybercrime and dubious investment schemes, the SRA has warned.
MPs tell regulators to up game on harassment and NDAs
Legal regulators must show that lawyers will face “serious sanctions” if they sexually harass clients or colleagues or misuse non-disclosure agreements, MPs said today.
LSB reforms to end “different treatment” for accountants
The Legal Services Board is to impose reform that will end the “different treatment” for accountancy regulators which also oversee legal services.
Bid to reduce “low-quality” money laundering reports
High numbers of low-quality suspicious activity reports are making it difficult to investigate money laundering, the Law Commission has warned.
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.
Reports
Associates
