Law firm’s partnership agreement was not varied, High Court rules – Legal Futures

Posted February 26th, 2025 in agreements, law firms, news, partnerships by sally

‘Two former partners of a law firm did not vary their 50/50 partnership after it was set up so that one would be in sole control, the High Court has ruled.’

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Legal Futures, 26th February 2025

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Law firm ordered to pay wasted costs after failing to instruct counsel – Legal Futures

‘A law firm was negligent in failing to prepare for a three-day hearing or instruct counsel for it, a Family Court judge has ruled in making a wasted costs order.’

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Legal Futures, 25th February 2025

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Firm succeeds in legal aid claim appeal over prosecution evidence – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted February 25th, 2025 in appeals, evidence, law firms, legal aid, news, sexual offences by tracey

‘A Plymouth-based firm has succeeded – in part – in a High Court appeal against legal aid payments over the number of pages of prosecution evidence.’

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Law Society's Gazette, 24th February 2025

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Solicitor forced to retire at 63 suffered age discrimination – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted February 25th, 2025 in employment, employment tribunals, equality, law firms, news, retirement, solicitors by tracey

‘A partner forced to retire at the age of 63 from Leeds firm Walker Morris was discriminated against, an employment tribunal has ruled.’

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Law Society's Gazette, 24th February 2025

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

High court orders legal aid firm to pay costs in family case – Law Society’s Gazette

‘A family law firm has been ordered to pay costs of the other party after the High Court found it was negligent in the preparation of a family case for a three-day hearing.’

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Law Society's Gazette, 24th February 2025

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

SDT fines firm £25,000 over money laundering regulation breaches – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted February 21st, 2025 in disciplinary procedures, fines, law firms, money laundering, news, solicitors by Lily

‘A law firm has been fined more than £25,000 and one of its salaried partners £3,500 for failing to comply with anti-money laundering regulations.’

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Law Society's Gazette, 21st February 2025

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

SRA report calls for major shift in lawyers’ approach to vulnerability – Legal Futures

‘There should be a “fundamental alteration” in the way the legal sector approaches consumer vulnerability, taking an opt-out, rather than opt-in, approach, a study for the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) has argued.’

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Legal Futures, 20th February 2025

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

AI getting more accurate but lawyers still needed, finds new report – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted February 20th, 2025 in artificial intelligence, law firms, legal profession, legal services, news by tracey

‘AI tools could be reaching the stage where they could be used as a cross-check for lawyers working on a legal issue, a new report has concluded.’

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Law Society's Gazette, 20th February 2025

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Employment tribunal’s miscalculated remedy leads to reduction in payout – Law Society’s Gazette

‘A paralegal who was awarded more than £40,000 after she succeeded in her employment claim against Oldham-based firm Inaaya Solicitors Limited has had the remedy reduced after the employment tribunal found it had made calculation errors.’

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Law Society's Gazette, 19th February 2025

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

“Accusation without evidence” – tribunal slams SRA prosecution – Legal Futures

‘The Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal (SDT) has castigated the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) for prosecuting a law firm and two partners based on “accusation without evidence”.’

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Legal Futures, 18th February 2025

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Court rejects divorcing husband’s conflict claim against solicitors – Legal Futures

Posted February 17th, 2025 in conflict of interest, divorce, law firms, news by tracey

‘The Family Court has rejected a divorcing husband’s claim that his wife’s solicitors are conflicted out of acting for her because of past work they did for the couple.’

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Legal Futures, 17th February 2025

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

DBAs ruled unenforceable in high-value probate dispute – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted February 7th, 2025 in damages, law firms, news, probate, solicitors, wills by Lily

‘Damages-based agreements (DBAs) used by a law firm in a probate dispute concerning a multi-million pound estate are unenforceable because they do not comply with DBA rules, the High Court ruled last week.’

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Law Society's Gazette, 7th February 2025

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Axing apprenticeship funding “a disaster for the legal profession” – Legal Futures

Posted February 6th, 2025 in diversity, law firms, legal education, news, solicitors by sally

‘Scrapping government funding for Level 7 apprenticeships would be “a disaster for the legal profession and have a highly negative impact on social mobility and diversity”, the government has been told.’

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Legal Futures, 6th February 2025

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

‘Disordered and chaotic’ financial remedies hearing adjourned over procedural breaches – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted February 4th, 2025 in adjournment, families, family courts, law firms, legal representation, news by tracey

‘A recorder has adjourned a family court hearing after finding the parties had come to it “in such a disordered and chaotic state that it is simply impossible to proceed in a fair way.” ’

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Law Society's Gazette, 3rd February 2025

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Director and law firm fined £50,000 for multiple compliance failures – Legal Futures

Posted February 3rd, 2025 in accounts, company directors, fines, law firms, money laundering, news, solicitors by tracey

‘The director of a law firm and the firm itself have each been fined £25,000 for a series of compliance failures, including widespread accounts rule breaches and anti-money laundering (AML) shortcomings.’

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Legal Futures, 3rd February 2025

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Are AML breaches misconduct? High Court hears SRA appeal – Legal Futures

‘A significant appeal that should decide whether a breach of the Money Laundering Regulations is also a breach of the SRA code of conduct starts in the High Court today.’

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Legal Futures, 29th January 2025

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

SRA can keep disciplinary decisions online for longer – Legal Futures

‘The Legal Services Board (LSB) has approved plans by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) to change its publication policy and keep details of misconduct on its website for longer.’

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Legal Futures, 28th January 2025

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Jailed solicitor’s ex-wife is subject of SFO’s first unexplained wealth order – Law Society’s Gazette

‘The Serious Fraud Office has been granted its first unexplained wealth order to recover a £1.5m Lake District property owned by the ex-wife of convicted solicitor Timothy Schools.’

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Law Society's Gazette , 20th January 2025

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Former Mishcon director wins ET claim over commission – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted January 15th, 2025 in employment, employment tribunals, law firms, news, remuneration, unfair dismissal by tracey

‘A former commercial director with London firm Mishcon de Reya was unfairly dismissed after he was not paid commission owed to him for three years, a tribunal has ruled.’

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Law Society's Gazette, 14th January 2025

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

In depth: Should law firms pile pressure on staff to return to the office? – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted January 14th, 2025 in coronavirus, flexible working, law firms, news by tracey

‘UK plc and public sector organisations are ramping up pressure on staff to come in to the office as pandemic memories fade. Law firms seeking to follow suit need to be aware that there are risks attached.’

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Law Society's Gazette, 14th January 2025

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk