Compliance & Regulation
Boss struck off over pension cash misuse – but fellow partners cleared
A managing partner who used staff pension contributions to prop up his firm has been struck off, but his two equity partners were cleared of misconduct.
Time to reset legal regulation and ethics, says consumer panel head
The new Lord Chancellor, Shabana Mahmood, needs to recognise the need for an overhaul of the legal regulatory regime, the new chair of the Legal Services Consumer Panel has argued.
Fine and reprimands for barrister over conduct as law firm owner
A barrister has been fined £5,000 by a Bar disciplinary tribunal, after he failed to report an SRA investigation into the removal of 242 wills from a law firm he owned.
Solicitor used client money to keep PI firm afloat
A solicitor who “repeatedly” transferred money from client to office account to prop up his firm has been struck off by the Solicitor Disciplinary Tribunal.
CLC ups financial pressure on firms to deal with complaints
The Council for Licensed Conveyancers is planning to ratchet up the financial pressure on the firms that fail to handle complaints properly under its ‘polluter pays’ approach.
Number of Bar students continues to grow
The number of students on Bar vocational courses has continued to grow since the pandemic, new figures have shown. Those with a first-class degree performed far better than others.
Welsh chambers breaks ground with first ICO legal services certification
The largest chambers in Wales has become the first legal services provider to obtain the new law-specific data protection certification approved by the Information Commissioner’s Office.
CILEX set to make final decision on SRA switch in October
CILEX is set to make a final decision on whether to seek to transfer regulator to the Solicitors Regulation Authority in October, and has named a new chair and president.
UN rapporteurs “seriously concerned” about online attacks on barrister
Four special rapporteurs appointed by the UN’s Human Rights Council have told the UK government about their concerns over the “ongoing harassment” of barrister Charlotte Proudman.
Senior associate who exposed clients to “unknown risks” struck off
A senior associate who completed a transaction without an executed mortgage deed, exposing both the lender and lay clients to “unknown and unacceptable risks”, has been struck off.
Partner “deliberately misled” client over PI claim she never issued
A partner at a leading personal injury firm who “deliberately misled” an accident victim for five years over a claim she never issued has been struck off.
Law firm fined £11,000 for overcharging DBA clients
A law firm that charged personal injury clients more than it was allowed to when acting under damages-based agreements has been fined nearly £11,000.
SRA to appeal decision to clear Dentons over AML breaches
The High Court looks set to rule on whether a tribunal was right to find that Dentons’ breach of the anti-money laundering rules was “inadvertent”.
Police station rep referred to transgender detainee as “thing”
A police station representative who made offensive comments about a transgender detainee and about immigrants has been made subject to regulatory controls.
BSB slaps down Bar Council over diversity and equality work
The Bar Standards Board has rejected a Bar Council call to take a step back from efforts to improve equality, diversity and inclusion and instead leave it to the profession.