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The Legal Ombudsman has successfully fought off two judicial reviews against its decisions, with a further five currently going through the court process, Legal Futures can reveal. The SRA has also fought off the two JRs of its new qualified lawyer transfer scheme.

A solicitor has for the first time been fined by the High Court for failing to co-operate with an investigation by the Legal Ombudsman. The High Court used the case to stress that such failures could also lead to immediate imprisonment.

In a robust defence of the will-writing industry, Steve Jenkins of leading provider Trust Inheritance argues that while some targeted regulation of the sector could help, there needs to be a strong focus on improving the quality of solicitors’ work.

The Legal Ombudsman service is planning for more complaints because of concerns that the legal aid cuts will drive down standards among solicitors, its chief executive has revealed. He said: “It might be prudent to plan for more complaints about lawyers and legal services rather than less.”

Complaints against barristers by litigants-in-person (LiPs) forced by legal aid cuts to represent themselves have continued to spike, according to the Bar Standards Board. It has received as many complaints from LiPs in the first half of 2011 as it did in 2009 and 2010 combined.