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A sole practitioner who claimed to be “unable to distinguish right from wrong” has been fined £10,000 by the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal. The tribunal said Claire Flood’s decision to transfer money from client accounts to pay her tax bill lacked “moral soundness, rectitude and a steady adherence to an ethical code”.

A thousand more law firms will no longer be required to submit accountants’ reports, the Solicitors Regulation Authority decided at yesterday’s board meeting. The change is set to be introduced on 1 November 2015.

The board of the Solicitors Regulation Authority today approved a series of measures to further its regulatory reform programme, including making it easier for multi-disciplinary practices to become alternative business structures.

Let’s assume you already know you have to report material compliance failures to the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) as soon as reasonably practicable. That begs the BIG question: what does a material compliance failure really look like. In the brave new world of outcomes-focused regulation, there’s no definition of material compliance failure and the SRA isn’t forthcoming with any real guidance or examples. Instead, you’re expected to work it out for yourself, taking into account all relevant factors.

Our latest round-up of key news includes the SRA and CLC offering relief to solicitors in breach because of RBS/NatWest computer problems, £1m of government money for legal apprenticeships, a destination for dormant client money, the Co-op’s new will-writing partnership, and much more.