SRA guidance to stop many council legal trading activities “dead in their tracks” – Local Government Lawyer

‘The Solicitors Regulation Authority last month published long-awaited guidance on a key section of the Legal Services Act 2007 that it is claimed will stop many local authorities’ legal services trading activities “dead in their tracks”.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 6th October 2017

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Revealed: BSB set to expand price transparency obligation beyond public access to referral Bar – Legal Futures

‘The Bar Standards Board (BSB) will say today that new rules on publishing prices should extend to referral barristers as well as those handling public access work.’

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Legal Futures, 2nd October 2017

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Law Society lashes SRA over “new Wild West” of legal regulation – Legal Futures

Posted September 28th, 2017 in Law Society, legal services, news, solicitors, Solicitors Regulation Authority by sally

‘The Law Society has hit out at the latest raft of reforms proposed yesterday by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) and particularly the idea of granting ‘freelance’ solicitors the ability to deliver reserved legal services without being either a registered sole practitioner or part of a law firm.’

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Legal Futures, 28th September 2017

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

SRA ushers in ‘Uberisation’ of legal services – Law Society’s Gazette

‘The SRA today signalled what it called the “Uberisation” of the legal market with the advent of the freelance solicitor.’

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Law Society's Gazette, 27th September 2017

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

SDT finally publishes Leigh Day judgment – Law Society’s Gazette

‘The Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal today published the long-awaited judgment on human rights firm Leigh Day and three of its lawyers.’

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Law Society's Gazette, 26th September 2017

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Report: “huge unmet legal need for unbundled services across the board” – Legal Futures

Posted September 6th, 2017 in legal services, negligence, news, reports, Solicitors Regulation Authority by sally

‘There is a massive demand for unbundled – or limited scope – legal services, not just in family law but in almost all areas of legal practice, according to a report on unbundling.’

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Legal Futures, 6th September 2017

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Tribunal urges SRA to reconsider advice on solicitors entering sexual relationships with clients – Legal Futures

‘The Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) should reconsider the advice it gives to solicitors who enter into sexual relationships with clients, a tribunal has said as it fined one £8,500 for the conflict of interest such a relationship caused.’

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Legal Futures, 4th September 2017

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Ministers ‘undermined law’ over Iraq war crimes allegations – The Guardian

‘The government has been accused of undermining the rule of law by putting pressure on an independent regulator in its action against a legal firm pursuing claims of human rights abuses involving British troops in Iraq.’

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The Guardian, 22nd July 2017

Source: www.theguardian.com

Judges “left uneasy” by professionals challenging regulators as litigants in person – Legal Futures

‘Judges are “left uneasy” by professionals presenting their own challenges to regulators as litigants in person (LIPs) and ignoring the “best points” available to them, the High Court has heard.’

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Legal futures, 21st July 2017

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

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.’

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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.’

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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).’

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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.’

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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.’

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UK Police Law Blog, 21st June 2017

Source: ukpolicelawblog.com

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

Posted May 25th, 2017 in damages, news, solicitors, Solicitors Regulation Authority, striking out by tracey

‘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.’

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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.’

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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.’

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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.’

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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.’

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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.’

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Legal Futures, 19th April 2017

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk