Sexual misconduct cases at record high in legal profession – The Guardian

‘The number of reports of sexual misconduct in the legal profession in England have increased over the last five years and have reached a record high, according to newly released figures.’

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The Guardian, 20th January 2020

Source: www.theguardian.com

New advertising rule “not a complete ban”, says SRA – Legal Futures

Posted December 19th, 2019 in advertising, news, solicitors, Solicitors Regulation Authority by sally

‘The new rule that prohibits solicitors from making unsolicited approaches to members of the public is not a blanket ban on all advertising, the Solicitors Regulation Authority has clarified.’

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Legal Futures, 19th December 2019

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

BSB and SRA in firing line over shortcomings – Legal Futures

‘The Bar Standards Board (BSB) has been told that it needs to act more quickly on how it plans to educate the public about barristers after its widely criticised decision to stop funding consumer-facing website Legal Choices.’

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Legal Futures, 19th December 2019

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Solicitor fined £50,000 for misusing client’s interim payments – Legal Futures

‘A solicitor who spent £46,600 of a disabled client’s interim payments on costs and disbursements instead of on rehabilitation, has been fined £50,000 by the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal (SDT).’

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Legal Futures, 13th December 2019

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Tribunal savages SRA witnesses as prosecution left in tatters – Legal Futures

‘The Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal (SDT) has savaged two witnesses who gave evidence on behalf of the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) against a Yorkshire sole practitioner.’

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Legal Futures, 12th December 2019

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Solicitor rebuked for issuing cheque that bounced – Legal Futures

Posted December 10th, 2019 in cheques, fines, news, solicitors, Solicitors Regulation Authority by sally

‘A solicitor has been sanctioned for sending a client a cheque for his damages which bounced.’

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Legal Futures, 10th December 2019

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Solicitor who felt “intimidated” by clients struck off – Legal Futures

‘A partner who said she felt “threatened and intimidated” by clients who would not accept her advice to discontinue has been struck off for lying about the progress of their cases.’

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Legal Futures, 9th December 2019

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Partner “too embarrassed” to tell clients truth is struck off – Legal Futures

‘A partner who misled beneficiaries about the progress of a case to resolve a dispute over estate assets and then found himself “too embarrassed” to tell them the truth has been struck off.’

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Legal Futures, 5th December 2019

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Tribunal rejects SRA’s disciplinary “ambush”- Legal Futures

‘The Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal (SDT) has rejected four allegations of multiple rule breaches against a solicitor because they were so badly drafted.’

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Legal Futures, 28th November 2019

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

SRA rules open up working or competing with the Bar – Legal Futures

‘The new rules allowing solicitors to work from unregulated businesses open up several opportunities for solicitors – including working with or in competition with barristers, specialists have predicted.’

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Legal Futures, 27th November 2019

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

SRA suspends immigration part of new rules – Legal Futures

Posted November 25th, 2019 in immigration, news, regulations, solicitors, Solicitors Regulation Authority by sally

‘The Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) has had to suspend rules due to come into force today that would allow solicitors to operate from firms regulated by the Office of the Immigration Services Commissioner (OISC).’

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Legal Futures, 25th November 2019

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Reach for the STaRs – new solicitors’ rulebook goes live – Legal Futures

‘The Solicitors Regulation Authority’s (SRA) new rulebook – Standards and Regulations (STaRs) – comes into force today, with experts highlighting several areas of significant change and opportunity for firms.’

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Legal Futures, 25th November 2019

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Solicitor tried to take unfair advantage of other lawyer’s error – Legal Futures

‘A solicitor discarded an undertaking he had given and tried to take advantage of a mistake made by the law firm on the other side of a conveyancing transaction, it has emerged.’

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Legal Futures, 15th November 2019

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Law firms’ “shocking” vulnerability to cyber criminals – Legal Futures

Posted November 13th, 2019 in computer crime, internet, law firms, news, Solicitors Regulation Authority by sally

‘The vast majority of major law firms still have significant unaddressed cyber-risk, despite repeated urging by regulators, insurers and others to shore up their defences, according to new research.’

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Legal Futures, 12th November 2019

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Approval of SQE not a foregone conclusion, LSB warns – Legal Futures

‘Approval of the Solicitors Qualifying Examination (SQE) is not a foregone conclusion, the Legal Services Board (LSB) is to make clear to the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA).’

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Legal Futures, 12th November 2019

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Tribunal lifts practising controls from ABS accountant – Legal Futures

‘The Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal (SDT) has lifted practising restrictions on a finance director who was sanctioned less than three years ago, over the objections of the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA).’

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Legal Futures, 11th November 2019

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Woman faked email reference to get law firm job – Legal Futures

‘A woman who set up a fake law firm email address so as to provide a bogus reference to a real firm looking to employ her has been banned from working in the profession.’

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Legal Futures, 4th November 2019

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

The new SRA Standards and Regulations: Greater freedom for solicitors? – 4 New Square

‘In this article, Helen Evans and Clare Dixon of 4 New Square review whether the new principles, codes of conduct and disciplinary procedure rules wholeheartedly reflect a relaxation of the SRA’s grip, or whether competing forces are apparent. They also consider whether one of the unintended consequence of some of the liberalisation is to introduce a two-tier regulatory system for solicitors practising within regulated entities (such as firms) and those outside that structure. Finally, they reflect on the likely impact of the new rules and relaxed burden of proof on the troublesome issues of dishonesty and lack of integrity- an issue that the Divisional Court was still picking apart as recently as last week in the matter of SRA v Siaw.’

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4 New Square, 21st October 2019

Source: www.4newsquare.com

New law “to put more pressure” on solicitors’ NDA advice – Legal Futures

‘A new law ensuring that employees signing non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) receive independent legal advice will “increase the onus” on solicitors to act properly when drafting them, the government has said.’

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Legal Futures, 30th October 2019

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Introduction to the SRA’s 2019 Standards and Regulations – 4 New Square

Posted October 29th, 2019 in news, regulations, solicitors, Solicitors Regulation Authority, standards by sally

‘On 25 November 2019 the SRA’s new Standards and Regulations will come into force. In many respects the substance of what is expected of the profession will remain much the same, but the new regime will see major changes to the regulations and rules through which those expectations are expressed and will be enforced. Both practising solicitors and those involved in advising them on their regulatory obligations must familiarise themselves with what will change. The aim of this series is to highlight the major changes and give some thoughts on what their implications may be.’

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4 New Square, 14th October 2019

Source: www.4newsquare.com