UK law firms banned from handling transactional work for Russians – Legal Futures

‘UK law firms will be unable to provide “transactional legal advisory services” to Russians after the government ratcheted up the sanctions regime yet further.’

Full Story

Legal Futures, 3rd October 2022

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Playboy club dancer was not employed by firm, tribunal finds – Law Society Gazette

‘A nightclub dancer offered work by a consultant solicitor was not employed by his firm, an employment tribunal has ruled. The now-deceased solicitor, referred to only as AD, had approached the woman at the club and offered her a job as his personal secretary. She had a young son and was studying part-time for a graduate diploma in law.’

Full Story

Law Society Gazette, 30th September 2022

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

SRA fines firm with “failing” anti-money laundering controls – Legal Futures

Posted September 28th, 2022 in fines, law firms, money laundering, news, solicitors, Solicitors Regulation Authority by sally

‘A law firm with a “failing” anti-money laundering (AML) control environment, leading to multiple rule breaches, has been fined £2,000 by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA).’

Full Story

Legal Futures, 27th September 2022

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Unbundling has potential to improve access to justice – and clients – Legal Futures

Posted September 14th, 2022 in law firms, legal services, news, solicitors, Solicitors Regulation Authority by tracey

‘Unbundling has the potential to increase access to justice and help firms attract new clients, but awareness among lawyers and consumers is low, research by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) has found.’

Full Story

Legal Futures, 14th September 2022

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Ex-director given another chance to appeal eight-year-old ET judgment – Law Society’s Gazette

‘The High Court has granted more time for a former law firm director to challenge a coruscating judgment against her more than eight years after it was handed down.’

Full Story

Law Society's Gazette, 2nd September 2022

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Firm fails in bid for injunction to stop use of letter it disclosed in error – Legal Futures

Posted August 26th, 2022 in disclosure, evidence, expert witnesses, injunctions, law firms, news, privilege by tracey

‘The High Court has refused a leading law firm an injunction to stop an opposing party making a use of a document it disclosed by mistake that cast doubt on an expert’s independence.’

Full Story

Legal Futures, 26th August 2022

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Firm predicts 1,000 clients may join gender identity clinic claim – Law Society’s Gazette

‘Lawyers leading a claim against a gender identity clinic said there could be as many as 1,000 clients who join the action.’

Full Story

Law Society's Gazette, 12th August 2022

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Fine for partners over years of multiple accounts rules breaches – Legal Futures

‘Two partners at a former London firm have been fined a total of £25,000 for an improper transfer of a client’s funds and allowing more than 1,700 matters to go stale, among other accounts rules breaches.’

Full Story

Legal Futures, 12th August 2022

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Solicitors’ agents and rights of audience – appeal decision – Nearly Legal

‘This is an issue that has come up here a few times (eg this post and this post) – the rights of audience of people who do not have a right of audience in their own right, but attend hearings to carry out advocacy. Now we have a County Court detailed appeal decision on the issue (not binding, but as an appeal to a circuit judge, of persuasive value).’

Full Story

Nearly Legal, 7th August 2022

Source: nearlylegal.co.uk

Claim against law firm lost by court still thrown out for late service – Legal Futures

Posted August 8th, 2022 in law firms, negligence, news, service, time limits by tracey

‘The High Court has upheld a decision to throw out a negligence claim against a law firm because it was served too late – even though the court had actually lost the claim.’

Full Story

Legal Futures, 8th August 2022

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Claim against solicitors was attempt to relitigate private prosecution – Legal Futures

‘A professional negligence claim against a firm of solicitors in the North-East has been thrown out as an attempt to relitigate an unsuccessful private prosecution.’

Full Story

Legal Futures, 3rd August 2022

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

High Court upholds ruling that $3m CFA is unforceable – Legal Futures

Posted August 2nd, 2022 in agreements, enforcement, fees, law firms, news, repayment by tracey

‘The High Court has upheld a decision that a law firm which charged its client nearly $3m under an unenforceable conditional fee agreement (CFA) has to repay the money.’

Full Story

Legal Futures, 2nd August 2022

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

High Court ruling a warning to lawyers who ‘shoehorn’ claimants into class actions – OUT-LAW.com

‘Lawyers must take note of a court’s refusal to allow multiple claimants with widely differing claims to use a single claim form, a legal expert has warned.’

Full Story

OUT-LAW.com, 27th July 2022

Source: www.pinsentmasons.com

Unreasonable refusal to engage with ADR – Law Society’s Gazette

‘In Richards & Anor v Speechly Bircham LLP & Anor (Consequential Matters) [2022] EWHC 1512 (Comm) HHJ Russen QC (sitting as a judge of the High Court) considered, inter alia, the most appropriate costs order to be imposed on the unsuccessful defendant law firm for refusing to consider and engage in mediation. He concluded, wrongly in my view, that a failure to mediate did not justify an order for costs on an indemnity basis.’

Full Story

Law Society's Gazette, 22nd July 2022

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Firm ordered to pay wasted costs over lack of authority to act – Legal Futures

‘A law firm has been ordered to pay wasted costs of £7,920 for not satisfying itself that the director of a company in deadlock with the other director had the authority to give it instructions.’

Full Story

Legal Futures, 5th July 2022

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Law firm overturns costs bill misconduct ruling – Legal Futures

‘The rules on misconduct in the CPR do not apply to solicitor/client costs assessments, the High Court has decided in overturning a finding against a Manchester law firm.’

Full Story

Legal Futures, 4th July 2022

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Extra powers for regulators to clamp down on rule-breaking solicitors – Ministry of Justice

‘The Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) will be given new powers to fine rule-breakers up to £25,000, under measures introduced today (29 June 2022).’

Full Story

Ministry of Justice, 29th June 2022

Source: www.gov.uk

Court rejects claim that instructions of counsel create conflict – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted June 27th, 2022 in barristers, costs, judicial review, law firms, news, professional conduct, pupillage by tracey

‘A costs judge has rejected calls for claimant lawyers to be punished for alleged conflict in the way counsel was instructed to handle a case.’

Full Story

Law Society's Gazette, 24th June 2022

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

SRA seeks whistleblowing role as part of SLAPPs action – Legal Futures

‘The Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) is set to make it easier for law firm staff to blow the whistle on their employers, as part of its work on strategic lawsuits against public participation (SLAPPs).’

Full Story

Legal Futures, 23rd June 2022

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Most female lawyers believe they will not experience pay equality – Legal Futures

Posted June 23rd, 2022 in equal pay, law firms, news, reports, women by sally

‘Most female lawyers (84%) believe that gender pay equality will not be achieved until after they retire and that firms’ commitment is more about headlines than real change.’

Full Story

Legal Futures, 23rd June 2022

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk