Big rise in complaints by solicitors against solicitors as “litigation tactics become tougher” – Litigation Futures

‘Complaints about misconduct made against solicitors by solicitors, barristers and other professionals have increased by a third in the past five years, it has emerged.’

Full story

Litigation Futures, 17th June 2016

Source: www.litigationfutures.com

We need full separation from Law Society to police money laundering, SRA tells Treasury – Legal Futures

‘The Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) has opened a second front in its campaign for full separation from the Law Society by appealing to the Treasury to intervene over the issue of money laundering.’

Full story

Legal Futures, 7th June 2016

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Judges who viewed porn at work rebuked by SRA – Legal Futures

‘One of three judges removed from the bench last year for viewing pornography from a work computer, along with another who resigned before he was removed, have accepted rebukes from the Solicitors Regulation Authority for their conduct.’

Full story

Legal Futures, 25th May 2016

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

SRA fines family lawyer for failing to record cash payments – Legal Futures

Posted March 29th, 2016 in accounts, fines, news, solicitors, Solicitors Regulation Authority by sally

‘A family lawyer who failed to record cash payments from clients has been fined £2,000 by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA).’

Full story

Legal Futures, 29th March 2016

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Curbs on ‘shameless’ armed forces claims within weeks – Law Society’s Gazette

‘Measures to curb legal claims against members of the armed forces are likely to be introduced this month.’

Full story

Law Society’s Gazette, 2nd March 2016

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

SRA: We want to be accountable to Parliament, not the Law Society – Legal Futures

‘The Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) has asked the House of Commons’ justice select committee to assume responsibility for holding it to account once independence from the Law Society has been achieved.’

Full story

Legal Futures, 26th February 2016

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Judges should be able to decline ‘unfair’ QASA evaluations, SRA says – Legal Futures

Posted January 26th, 2016 in advocacy, judges, news, quality assurance, Solicitors Regulation Authority by sally

‘Judges should be able to opt out of assessing advocates under the Quality Assurance Scheme for Advocates (QASA) if they believe it would be unfair, the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) has said.’

Full story

Legal Futures, 26th January 2016

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

SDT anonymity ruling “breached principle of open justice”, High Court rules – Legal Futures

A decision by the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal (SDT) to grant retrospective anonymity to a solicitor who had only been found guilty of a technical rule breach flouted the principle of open justice, the High Court has ruled.’

Full story

Legal Futures, 18th January 2016

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

SRA asks: Are solicitors to blame for declining criminal advocacy standards? – Legal Futures

‘The Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) is to research this year whether standards of criminal advocacy are declining and whether solicitors are to blame. As part of the research, the SRA said it would ask judges whether solicitor and Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) advocates were “working beyond their level of competence”.’

Full story

Legal Futures, 8th January 2016

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

SRA to research competence of personal injury lawyers – Legal Futures

‘The Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) is to launch a research project on the “competence” of personal injury lawyers, it has emerged.’

Full story

Legal Futures, 4th December 2015

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Profession set on collision course with government over independent regulation – Legal Futures

‘The government should return regulation to the legal profession’s representative bodies, rather than introduce full separation, the Law Society has said in response to yesterday’s surprise announcement from the Treasury that separation is now on the cards.’

Full story

Legal Futures, 1st December 2015

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

SRA asks public for help in how it should judge solicitors’ behaviour – Legal Futures

‘The Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) yesterday launched a massive public opinion poll to help it determine the correct baseline of solicitors’ behaviour on which it should base regulatory decisions.’
Full story

Legal Futures, 1st October 2015

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Solicitor who forged client’s signature on witness statement struck off – Legal Futures

‘A solicitor who forged his client’s signature on a witness statement has been struck off, even though the client himself expressed surprise that disciplinary action had been taken.’

Full story

Legal Futures, 24th September 2015

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Exclusive: Barristers’ chambers sets up ABS to attract overseas clients – Legal Futures

‘A barristers’ chambers is set to launch an alternative business structure (ABS) to help it obtain international work, because it will give the appearance of a solicitors’ firm to foreign clients who do not understand direct access.’

Full story

Legal Futures, 24th September 2015

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

SDT throws out allegations of forgery against fee-earner – Legal Futures

‘The Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal has thrown out charges brought by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) against a non-qualified fee-earner, deciding he had no case to answer and that the regulator should pay costs as a reminder to keep cases under review as they progress.’

Full story

Legal Futures, 22nd September 2015

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

‘Panicked’ assistant solicitor fabricated counsel’s advice and expert reports – Legal Futures

An assistant solicitor has admitted to having “fabricated” advice from counsel, two expert reports and a series of letters on a medical negligence case because she felt “completely panicked and couldn’t see a way out”.
Full story

Legal Futures, 11th August 2015

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Williams v Law Society of England and Wales – WLR Daily

Williams v Law Society of England and Wales [2015] EWHC 2302 (Ch); [2015] WLR (D) 360

‘Where an intervention took place into a solicitor’s practice and a resolution was made under paragraph 6 of Schedule 1 to the Solicitors Act 1974 for the vesting of moneys in connection with the solicitors current or former practice, it was moneys connected with that solicitor’s activities as a solicitor which vested in the Society.’

WLR Daily, 30th July 2015

Source: www.iclr.co.uk

Law firm loses FoI bid to learn names of complainants – Legal Futures

‘A law firm which demanded the details of people who had contacted the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) to allege misconduct has been firmly rebuffed by the Law Society’s freedom of information commissioner.’

Full story

Legal Futures, 27th July 2015

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

LSB Chief Executive speaks at Westminster Legal Policy Forum event on innovation in legal services – Legal Services Board

‘The Legal Services Board Chief Executive Richard Moriarty spoke at the Westminster Legal Policy Forum event: Innovation in legal services market – growth, skills and new business models.’

Full speech

Legal Services Board, 9th July 2015

Source: www.legalservicesboard.org.uk

Gove promises action on criminal referral fees – Law Society’s Gazette

‘The lord chancellor is to crack down on the banned practice of referral fees in criminal proceedings.’

Full story

Law Society’s Gazette, 9th July 2015

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk