Law firm avoids tribunal referral over PEP due diligence failures – Legal Futures

‘A law firm that failed to conduct proper anti-money laundering checks while acting for a politically exposed person (PEP) has been fined £25,000.’

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Legal Futures, 25th March 2025

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

SRA: Law firm’s work for warlord was not improper – Legal Futures

‘The Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) yesterday took the unusual step of setting out why it cleared the law firm which acted for Yevgeniy Prigozhin, leader of the Wagner Group, of misconduct.’

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Legal Futures, 25th March 2025

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

SRA used “prejudicial hearsay evidence” in failed prosecution – Legal Futures

‘The Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) relied on complaints by anonymous people and “a significant amount of prejudicial hearsay evidence” to support a failed prosecution against two high-profile solicitors, the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal (SDT) has ruled.’

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Legal Futures, 20th March 2025

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Solicitor cannot base victimisation claim on firm’s report to SRA – Legal Futures

‘A solicitor cannot base a victimisation claim against her law firm at the employment tribunal on it reporting her to the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA), a judge has ruled.’

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Legal Futures, 11th March 2025

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

SRA under fire for ignoring ‘legal intimidation’ tactics – Law Society’s Gazette

‘An MP yesterday criticised the Solicitors Regulation Authority for failing to sanction lawyers who were facilitating “legal intimidation” on behalf of a Russian warlord. Lloyd Hatton, a member of the all-party anti-corruption parliamentary group, said regulators were allowing lawyers to be used as “hired guns” by rich and powerful clients.’

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Law Society's Gazette, 7th March 2025

Source: www.lawgazette.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

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

SRA delivers update on Post Office scandal probe – Law Society’s Gazette

‘Solicitors embroiled in the public inquiry into the Post Office IT scandal are under scrutiny by the regulator over their conduct in relation to the inquiry itself – as well as their role in the most widespread miscarriage of justice in British history.’

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Law Society's Gazette, 21st February 2025

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Watchdog reopens investigation into Jonathan Reynolds’ legal career claims – The Guardian

Posted February 24th, 2025 in media, misrepresentation, news, solicitors, Solicitors Regulation Authority by sally

‘The solicitors’ regulator has reopened an investigation into the business secretary, Jonathan Reynolds, over accusations he misrepresented his legal career.’

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The Guardian, 21st February 2025

Source: www.theguardian.com

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

“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

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

£50k fine for lawyer over omissions when applying to join Bar – Legal Futures

‘A high-profile Italian lawyer who failed to declare various adverse findings about himself when applying to be called to the English Bar has been reprimanded and fined £50,000 – an exceptionally high sum for a Bar disciplinary tribunal.’

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Legal Futures, 3rd January 2025

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Reeves v SRA – Lifting of indefinite suspensions before the SDT – 2 Hare Court

‘In this recent case, in which I acted for the applicant, the SDT lifted an indefinite suspension after over 12 years, despite opposition from the SRA. The SDT’s judgment is an important example of the practical application of the Tribunal’s guidance in such cases.’

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2 Hare Court, 18th December 2024

Source: www.2harecourt.com

Solicitors over-reliant on their COLPs, says SRA – Legal Futures

‘Too many solicitors only check their professional obligations when things go wrong and are over-reliant on their firm’s compliance officer for legal practice (COLP) to keep on top of regulatory issues, according to Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) research.’

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Legal Futures, 16th December 2024

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

High Court overturns SRA’s decision to intervene in law firm – Legal Futures

Posted November 28th, 2024 in fraud, law firms, news, solicitors, Solicitors Regulation Authority by sally

‘The High Court has taken the almost unprecedented step of withdrawing a notice of intervention into a law firm issued by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA).’

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Legal Futures, 28th November 2024

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

New legal privilege guidance for in-house lawyers in England – OUT-LAW.com

‘Legal advice given by in-house lawyers will, under English law, attract privilege in the same way as legal advice given by any other lawyers, but there are certain issues in-house lawyers should pay particular attention to when considering legal professional privilege, according to new guidance by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA).’

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OUT-LAW.com, 22nd November 2024

Source: www.pinsentmasons.com

Lack of sanction for costs draftsman shows “hole in regulation” – Legal Futures

‘A judge’s comments on the lack of recourse against an unregulated costs draftsman should focus minds on this hole in legal regulation, the Association of Costs Lawyers (ACL) has argued.’

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Legal Futures, 20th November 2024

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Small law firms embracing AI as they move away from hourly billing – Legal Futures

‘Small law firms have embraced artificial intelligence (AI), with document drafting or automation the most popular application, according to new research.’

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Legal Futures, 7th November 2024

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk