Solicitor jailed after falling for scam loses appeal against sentence – Legal Futures

Posted March 13th, 2024 in appeals, fraud, imprisonment, law firms, news, sentencing, solicitors by sally

‘The former senior partner of a Norfolk law firm, jailed for four years last September for fraud, has failed in his appeal against sentence.’

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Legal Futures, 13th March 2024

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

SRA warns solicitors over ‘deepfake’ clients and vendor fraud – Legal Futures

‘The Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) has warned lawyers who rely on video calls to identify clients of the risks posed by “deepfake” technology.’

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Legal Futures, 12th March 2024

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

SDT dismisses case against Dentons as SRA left with costs bill – Law Society’s Gazette

‘The solicitors’ regulator has suffered a major setback with its prosecution of the world’s biggest firm amounting effectively to nothing.’

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Law Society's Gazette, 11th March 2024

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Three-partner firm slapped with £23k fine for AML oversights – Law Society’s Gazette

‘A firm operating from two small offices in the south west has been hit with a £23,000 fine for failing to comply with money laundering regulations.’

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Law Society's Gazette, 4th March 2024

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Students think they need connections to progress legal career – Legal Futures

Posted February 28th, 2024 in diversity, equality, law firms, mental health, news, solicitors, statistics, universities by sally

‘A significant number of students think nepotism and connections are important to progress in the law, according to research which found that this did indeed help some get jobs.’

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Legal Futures, 28th February 2024

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Solicitor struck off for antisemitic and offensive tweets – Legal Futures

Posted February 23rd, 2024 in disciplinary procedures, internet, Judaism, news, professional conduct, racism, solicitors by michael

‘The Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal (SDT) today struck off the practitioner it found earlier this week had published antisemitic and offensive posts on Twitter.’

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Legal Futures, 23rd February 2024

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

SDT rules that solicitor posted antisemitic tweets – Legal Futures

‘The Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal (SDT) yesterday upheld allegations that a solicitor published antisemitic and offensive posts on social media and also abused Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) staff.’

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Legal Futures, 21st February 2024

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Barrister and part-time judge convicted of legal aid fraud – Legal Futures

Posted February 16th, 2024 in barristers, costs, fees, fraud, imprisonment, law firms, legal aid, news, sentencing, solicitors by sally

‘A barrister and part-time immigration tribunal judge has become the last of a group of lawyers found guilty of defrauding the Legal Aid Agency by falsely claiming defence legal costs.’

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Legal Futures, 16th February 2024

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Future of compensation fund in question as SRA begins consumer review – Law Society’s Gazette

‘The vexed question of how to protect the public without unfairly burdening regulated solicitors is at the centre of a review of consumer protection announced by the Solicitors Regulation Authority today.’

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Law Society's Gazette, 5th February 2024

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

MoJ to press ahead with fixed costs changes amid JR threat – Legal Futures

‘The Ministry of Justice (MoJ) is pressing ahead with reforms to the fixed recoverable costs (FRC) regime that came into force in October, opening the door to a possible court challenge.’

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Legal Futures, 2nd February 2024

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Criminal legal aid “coming apart at the seams”, High Court says – Legal Futures

‘Two High Court judges have described the system of criminal legal aid as “slowly coming apart at the seams” and reliant on solicitors’ goodwill and sense of public duty.’

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Legal Futures, 1st February 2024

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Narrowing degree evidence for foreign qualified lawyers exempt from SQE ‘overly restrictive’ – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted January 30th, 2024 in examinations, news, solicitors by tracey

‘Requiring foreign qualified lawyers exempt from the Solicitors Qualifying Examination to prove they are proficient in the English language could be “overly restrictive”, the Law Society has said.’

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Law Society's Gazette, 29th January 2024

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

High Court refuses leave to appeal $11bn arbitration ruling – Legal Futures

Posted January 25th, 2024 in appeals, arbitration, barristers, fraud, news, privilege, professional conduct, solicitors by sally

‘The potential consequences for two lawyers the High Court has referred to their regulators are not reasons to grant leave for an appeal, the judge has ruled after setting aside a $11bn arbitration award against the Republic of Nigeria.’

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Legal Futures, 25th January 2024

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

SRA issues first fixed penalty fine for compliance officer rule breach – Legal Futures

‘A law firm in the North-East has become the first to receive a fixed penalty fine for not updating the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) on information about a compliance officer.’

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Legal Futures, 12th January 2024

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

SRA: No plans to act yet on Post Office scandal lawyers – Legal Futures

‘The Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) could take action against solicitors over misconduct in the Post Office scandal before the public inquiry ends but has yet to see evidence that requires it.’

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Legal Futures, 10th January 2024

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Were lawyers complicit in Post Office’s corporate governance failures? – Legal Futures

‘A solicitor who acted for three wrongly convicted sub-postmasters has questioned whether lawyers advising the Post Office’s board were more motivated by continuing the retainers than giving proper guidance.’

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Legal Futures, 8th January 2024

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Grenfell solicitor wins unfair dismissal claim over redundancy – Legal Futures

‘A solicitor made redundant after her work on the Grenfell Tower disaster ended has won a claim for unfair dismissal because her law firm did not properly consider another role for her.’

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Legal Futures, 3rd January 2024

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

SRA issues first fixed penalty fine for diversity data failure – Legal Futures

‘The Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) has handed out the first fixed penalty fine for a law firm’s failure to submit its workforce diversity data within the deadline.’

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Legal Futures, 3rd January 2024

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

SRA admits it has “a long way to go” on diversity – Legal Futures

‘The Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) still has “a long way to go” on diversity, its chief executive has said – although its gender and ethnicity pay gaps are shrinking.’

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Legal Futures, 13th December 2023

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Some lawyers’ conduct poses “significant risk to the rule of law” – Legal Futures

Posted December 1st, 2023 in barristers, legal profession, news, rule of law, solicitors by tracey

‘Lawyers can sometimes be “too inclined” to act unethically or use a “mistaken” adherence to an overly narrow view of the rule of law to justify questionable conduct, major new research has said.’

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Legal Futures, 1st December 2023

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk