Tag Results
Don’t recruit partners without running them past us first, SRA warns firms
Monday, 2 April 2012Law firms recruiting partners must now seek the Solicitors Regulation Authority’s approval prior to appointment, it has confirmed. However, it is still unable to confirm when the process will begin for firms to nominate their COLP and COFA.
Tags: COFA, COLP, compliance officer for finance and administration, compliance officer for legal practice, Legal Services Act, Solicitors Regulation Authority
Posted in Latest news, Solicitors
Exclusive: SRA bids to increase its power to fine law firms – from £2,000 to £250m
Friday, 30 March 2012The Solicitors Regulation Authority’s is planning to increase its power to fine law firms from £2,000 to £250m, and to £50m for individuals, Legal Futures can reveal. The Law Society has described the move as “misconceived”.
Tags: ABS, Alternative business structures, Law Society, Legal Services Act, Legal Services Board, Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal, Solicitors Regulation Authority
Posted in Alternative business structures, Latest news, Solicitors
"Significant" number of chambers to avoid diversity data publication – but what about law firms?
Friday, 30 March 2012Chambers with fewer than 10 staff and/or members should not have to publish the results of the diversity survey that they all have to complete this year, their regulator is to tell the Legal Services Board.
Tags: bar standards board, equality and diversity, Legal Services Board, Solicitors Regulation Authority
Posted in Barristers, Latest news, Legal Services Board, Solicitors
In-house lawyers face ABS dilemma
Friday, 30 March 2012Organisations whose in-house solicitors provide reserved legal activities to people other than their employer – such as insurers, associations and local authorities – will have to decide for themselves whether by law they need to become alternative business structures, according to the SRA.
Tags: ABS, Alternative business structures, in-house lawyers, Legal Services Act, Solicitors Regulation Authority
Posted in Alternative business structures, Latest news, Solicitors
MPs "worried" about confusion over regulation and quality of legal services
Thursday, 29 March 2012The vast majority of MPs are concerned that their constituents may not understand what legal services are regulated and which are not, new research has found. It also identified concern that there is insufficient redress for consumers of legal services.
Tags: Legal Ombudsman, LeO, reserved legal activities, Solicitors Regulation Authority
Posted in Latest news, Solicitors
SRA to issue guidance after research finds lawyers failing the deaf
Thursday, 29 March 2012The Solicitors Regulation Authority is to issue best-practice guidelines to solicitors and firms it regulates about being deaf aware, after new research showed that legal services were often inaccessible to people with hearing loss.
Tags: Legal Services Consumer Panel, Solicitors Regulation Authority
Posted in Consumer panel, Latest news, Solicitors
Abbey Protection unveils three-pronged ABS plan for SME market
Wednesday, 28 March 2012Well-known legal expenses insurer Abbey Protection is to launch a three-pronged attack on the SME market once its application to become an alternative business structure has been approved, it has revealed.
Tags: ABS, Alternative business structures, ATE insurance, legal expenses insurance, Solicitors Regulation Authority
Posted in Alternative business structures, Latest news, Market monitor
QASA finally agreed after Bar Standards Board gives in over plea-only advocates
Friday, 23 March 2012The Bar Standards Board has given way on the final outstanding issue on the Quality Assurance Scheme for Advocates and it is now to begin in the summer. Plea-only advocates, who had been at the centre of a major disagreement, will not have to undergo judicial assessment.
Tags: bar standards board, ILEX Professional Standards, Legal Services Board, Solicitors Regulation Authority
Posted in Barristers, Latest news, Legal Executives, Legal Services Board, Solicitors
SRA: trainees could be paid £2.60 an hour in first year if minimum salary is scrapped
Friday, 23 March 2012The Solicitors Regulation Authority is to consider retaining the minimum salary for trainee solicitors at the level of the national minimum wage after discovering that without it trainees would be classed as apprentices and so could be paid just £2.60 an hour in their first year – less than £5,000.
Tags: minimum salary, Solicitors Regulation Authority, trainee solicitors
Posted in hrtraining, Latest news, Solicitors
Revealed: groundbreaking barristers’ chambers launches as SRA-regulated partnership
Thursday, 22 March 2012Six criminal law barristers have set up a chambers structured as a partnership and regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority. Artesian Law is already looking to expand due to the number of instructions it has received.
Tags: ABS, advocacy, Alternative business structures, bar standards board, Barristers, criminal law, LDP, legal aid, legal disciplinary practice, Solicitors Regulation Authority
Posted in Alternative business structures, Barristers, Latest news, Market monitor, Solicitors