Regulator secures record £250k fine against global firm White & Case – Law Society’s Gazette

‘The Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal has approved a fine of £250,000 on international firm White & Case for failures over conflict of interest and client confidentiality. The penalty is the biggest ever issued against a single firm at the tribunal and followed an investigation by the Solicitors Regulation Authority.’

Full Story

Law Society's Gazette, 19th July 2017

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

SRA shuts down law firm referred by Court of Appeal after it revoked £500,000 costs order – Legal Futures

‘A law firm referred to the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) by the Court of Appeal earlier this year has been shut down by the regulator.’

Full Story

Legal Futures, 4th July 2017

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Solicitor who took client data to new firm without consent rebuked and fined – Legal Futures

‘A London solicitor who took confidential information from defunct London firm Davenport Lyons (DL) to his new employer without client consent has been rebuked and fined £2,000 by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA).’

Full Story

Legal Futures, 26th June 2017

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Passed on Thursday, in force today – new AML regulations thrust on profession – Legal Futures

‘Law firm compliance officers and money laundering reporting officers have been scrambling to get to grips with the biggest shake-up in anti-money laundering (AML) rules in a decade, with the final regulations – which were only published on Thursday – coming into force today.’

Full Story

Legal Futures, 26th June 2017

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Honesty, integrity and pleading / putting allegations – UK Police Law Blog

‘The debate on whether there is a difference between honesty and integrity continues apace in Rhys Williams v Solicitors Regulatory Authority [2017] EWHC 1478 (Admin). I expressed my opinion here that there was a material difference between the two and that the decision of Mostyn J in Malins v Solicitors Regulatory Authority [2017] EWHC 835 (Admin), that the two were synonymous, was not correct – at least for the purposes of the Police (Conduct) Regulations 2012. The Divisional Court (the President of the QBD presiding) has now similarly deprecated it.’

Full Story

UK Police Law Blog, 21st June 2017

Source: ukpolicelawblog.com

SRA fails with bid to strike out solicitor’s damages claim – Legal Futures

‘The Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) has failed to strike out a damages claim by a solicitor at the High Court who claims it breached his confidentiality.’

Full story

Legal Futures, 25th May 2017

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Super exam reaction: Profession calls for ‘clarity’ – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted April 26th, 2017 in examinations, news, solicitors, Solicitors Regulation Authority by sally

‘The profession has given a mixed response to the Solicitors Regulation Authority’s plans to introduce a single qualifying assessment for would-be solicitors and called on the regulator to ensure the new regime maintains high standards.’

Full story

Law Society’s Gazette, 25th April 2017

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

SRA to introduce Solicitors Qualifying Examination in 2020 – Local Government Lawyer

Posted April 26th, 2017 in examinations, news, solicitors, Solicitors Regulation Authority by sally

‘The Solicitors Regulation Authority is to press ahead with the introduction of the Solicitors Qualifying Examination (SQE), which will replace the current system of qualification in September 2020.’

Full story

Local Government Lawyer, 25th April 2017

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Lawyers must be able to bring cases against government ‘without fear of reprisals’ – The Guardian

‘Lawyers must be able to bring cases against the government “without fear of recrimination or reprisals”, the high-profile solicitors’ firm Leigh Day has declared on the eve of its trial for alleged professional misconduct.’

Full story

The Guardian, 24th April 2017

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

SRA attacks “disproportionate and unnecessary” money laundering regulations – Legal Futures

‘New anti-money laundering (AML) regulations planned by the Treasury would impose “disproportionate and unnecessary” burdens on law firms, the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) has warned.’

Full story

Legal Futures, 20th April 2017

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Tribunal lays out Clyde & Co’s “glaring” failures – Legal Futures

‘The failures which led to a record fine for Clyde & Co were “particularly glaring” as it was “a large and, previously, reputable firm”, the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal (SDT) has declared in approving the sanction.’

Full story

Legal Futures, 19th April 2017

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Fine for senior partner who “accidentally” discriminated against colleague on grounds of age and religion – Legal Futures

‘A senior partner who was found by an employment tribunal to have discriminated against, harassed and victimised a former equity partner at his firm, has been fined £2,000 by the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal (SDT), which found his culpability to be “low” as his behaviour had “just crossed the line into discrimination”.’

Full story

Legal Futures, 3rd April 2017

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Supreme Court backs insurer’s bid to cap liability for multiple claims against law firm – Legal Futures

‘The Supreme Court has sided with a leading professional indemnity insurer in interpreting the rules that govern the way insurers can aggregate multiple claims against solicitors.’

Full story

Legal Futures, 22nd March 2017

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

SRA decision to hold board meetings in private “may breach Legal Services Act” – Legal Futures

‘The decision by the Solicitors Regulation Authority to close its meetings to public and press scrutiny appears to be contrary to its obligations under the Legal Services Act 2007 (LSA), a leading regulatory solicitor has said.’

Full story

Legal Futures, 13th March 2017

Source: www.legalfutures.com

Legal Services Board launches probe into whether Law Society fetters SRA’s independence – Legal Futures

‘The Legal Services Board (LSB) has stepped up the pressure on the Law Society’s role as the approved regulator of solicitors by announcing a formal investigation into whether the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) has sufficient independence.’

Full story

Legal Futures, 17th February 2017

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

New CPD rules: how to implement them in your practice – The Future of Law

‘What is the Solicitors Regulation Authority’s (SRA) new mandatory regime on continuing professional development (CPD) for solicitors? Nicola Jones, co-founder and director of Athena Professional and a learning for performance consultant, takes a look at the new rules and provides guidance on how firms can implement them into their practices.’

Full story

The Future of Law, 16th February 2017

Source: www.blogs.lexisnexis.co.uk

Publishing prices: SRA to start with divorce, wills, conveyancing and simple SME work – Legal Futures

‘The Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) is planning to require law firms to publish their fees for services such as divorce, wills or conveyancing, it has emerged.’

Full story

Legal Futures, 26th January 2017

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Law lecturers flay SQE plan for creating “inferior solicitors” – Legal Futures

Posted January 20th, 2017 in legal education, news, solicitors, Solicitors Regulation Authority by sally

‘The Bar will “truly be able to say that barristers are better educated in the law than solicitors” if the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) presses ahead with its reform of education, law lecturers have said in an excoriating response to the regulator’s consultation.’

Full story

Legal Futures, 20th January 2017

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Farmer dumps muck outside court in protest at justice system – Daily Telegraph,

Posted January 18th, 2017 in criminal damage, demonstrations, news, Solicitors Regulation Authority by sally

‘A wealthy farmer dumped a lorry load of muck outside a crown court on Tuesday in protest at the “severely flawed” justice system which he claimed left him thousands of pounds out of pocket.’

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 17th January 2017

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Disciplinary round-up: fine for firm which failed to make client’s visa application and then lost his passport – Legal Futures

‘A north London law firm has been rebuked for misleading its client into thinking that it had made a visa application on his behalf.’

Full story

Legal Futures, 13th January 2017

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk