Category: solicitors

Contractual costs in the Tribunal & County Court, with a guest appearance – Nearly Legal

Posted July 11th, 2023 in costs, county courts, leases, news, service charges, solicitors, tribunals by sally

‘The underlying proceedings were a small claim in the County Court by Crescent (via Davidoff as agent) for unpaid service charges against Mr Behjat as leaseholder. It was, apparently, transferred to the FTT for determination of payability and reasonableness of the service charges. It appears that there was then a Tribunal decision, and simultaneous County Court order made by the Tribunal judge sitting as a county court judge.’

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Nearly Legal, 10th July 2023

Source: nearlylegal.co.uk

“AI won’t replace lawyers – so long as they embrace it,” says top City firm – Legal Futures

Posted July 7th, 2023 in artificial intelligence, law firms, legal profession, legal services, news, solicitors by tracey

‘Generative artificial intelligence (AI) will not replace lawyers, but lawyers who use it will replace those who do not, the head of lawtech at a leading City law firm has predicted.’

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Legal Futures, 6th July 2023

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Misconduct: ‘No simple explanation’ for race bias in complaints – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted June 26th, 2023 in bias, complaints, disciplinary procedures, equality, news, professional conduct, race discrimination, racism, solicitors, Solicitors Regulation Authority, statistics by tracey

‘”Socio-cognitive biases” could account for the over-representation of Black, Asian and minority ethnic solicitors in complaints about potential misconduct raised with the Solicitors Regulation Authority.’

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Law Society's Gazette, 23rd June 2023

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Legal firms urged to strengthen cyber defences with latest guidance from experts – The Bar Council

Posted June 23rd, 2023 in barristers, computer crime, computer programs, law firms, news, solicitors by tracey

‘The updated report from the NCSC highlights the key threats that the UK legal sector face and how to improve cyber security.’

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The Bar Council, 22nd June 2023

Source: www.barcouncil.org.uk

High Court: Letter asserting solicitor’s lien was not defamatory – Legal Futures

Posted June 16th, 2023 in damages, defamation, fees, law firms, negligence, news, solicitors by tracey

‘The High Court has thrown out a defamation claim over a letter sent by one law firm to another asserting a solicitor’s lien over £100,000 of any damages awarded to its former clients.’

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Legal Futures, 16th June 2023

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Law firm takes civil action against “abusive” opposing party – Legal Futures

Posted June 12th, 2023 in children, contact orders, families, law firms, news, solicitors, threatening behaviour by tracey

‘A law firm has had to take civil action against the father on the opposite side of a child contact dispute because of the abuse he has directed at it and the solicitor running the case.’

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Legal Futures, 12th June 2023

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Pandemic experience has given lawyers more confidence in tech – Legal Futures

Posted June 7th, 2023 in barristers, computer programs, coronavirus, law firms, legal services, Legal Services Board, news, solicitors, statistics by sally

‘The experience of the pandemic has given lawyers greater confidence in innovation and technology, leading to a “step change” in their use over the past three years, major new research has found.’

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Legal Futures, 7th June 2023

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Workplace bullying in law firms – a new frontier? – Kingsley Napley

Posted June 5th, 2023 in bullying, chambers articles, codes of practice, employment, law firms, lord chancellor, news, solicitors, Solicitors Regulation Authority by sally

‘Richard Fox, Jessica Clay and Lucinda Soon discuss what constitutes workplace bullying in light of the recent high-profile case against former justice secretary Dominic Raab.’

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Kingsley Napley, 19th May 2023

Source: www.kingsleynapley.co.uk

SRA to publish salaries of fined solicitors – Legal Futures

Posted June 1st, 2023 in disciplinary procedures, fines, news, remuneration, solicitors, Solicitors Regulation Authority, tribunals by sally

‘The Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) is to publish the salaries of the solicitors it fines and impose ‘default salaries’ on those who refuse to reveal them.’

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Legal Futures, 1st June 2023

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

SDT refused to disclose witness statements in sexual misconduct case – Legal Futures

Posted May 30th, 2023 in disciplinary procedures, disclosure, evidence, media, news, solicitors, tribunals, witnesses by sally

‘The Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal (SDT) refused to disclose the witness statements of three young women who gave evidence of sexual misconduct by City lawyer Oliver Bretherton to journalists, it has emerged.’

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Legal Futures, 30th May 2023

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Bogus solicitor jailed for posing as lawyer in court case – BBC News

Posted May 26th, 2023 in fraud, imprisonment, news, sentencing, solicitors, Solicitors Regulation Authority by tracey

‘A “comprehensively dishonest” man who posed as a solicitor in court despite having no legal qualifications has been jailed for 10 months.’

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BBC News, 25th May 2023

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Law firms and preventing sexual harassment in the workplace – Kingsley Napley Employment Law Blog

Posted May 24th, 2023 in bills, chambers articles, employment, equality, harassment, law firms, news, professional conduct, sex discrimination, sexual offences, solicitors, Solicitors Regulation Authority by sally

‘Sexual harassment in the workplace has attracted growing concern globally over the past five years. The House of Commons Women and Equalities Select Committee (WESC) inquiry in July 2018 triggered a parliamentary debate around the need for stricter duties for employers to prevent unwanted sexual behaviour at work. In parallel, the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) has prioritised tackling sexual misconduct in law firms and recent changes to its Codes of Conduct emphasise the expectation on firms to foster a culture of zero tolerance to counter-inclusive behaviours, including sexual misconduct.’

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Kingsley Napley Employment Law Blog, 23rd May 2023

Source: www.kingsleynapley.co.uk

No continuing loss from law firm’s breach of contract, tribunal rules – Legal Futures

Posted May 23rd, 2023 in breach of trust, contract of employment, employment tribunals, law firms, news, notification, solicitors by sally

‘A trainee solicitor who never took up his job after the terms of employment were changed four days before he began work has failed in his bid for damages greater than his contractual notice period.’

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Legal Futures, 23rd May 2023

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

UK crime agency to pursue up to 100 lawyers accused of helping traffickers – The Guardian

Posted May 19th, 2023 in asylum, forced labour, gangs, immigration, news, professional conduct, solicitors, trafficking in human beings by tracey

‘The National Crime Agency is preparing to pursue up to 100 lawyers it believes are helping traffickers abuse modern slavery laws to secure asylum for people entering the UK.’

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The Guardian, 18th May 2023

Source: www.theguardian.com

Society warns on Finance Bill changes – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted May 16th, 2023 in bills, capital gains tax, charities, EC law, income tax, inheritance tax, Law Society, news, solicitors by sally

‘The Law Society today reminded private client solicitors that the Finance Bill is set to restrict charitable tax reliefs to UK charities only, with donations located in the EU and the European Economic Arena (EEA) no longer qualifying for UK charitable tax reliefs from April 2024. This will impact individuals who claim income tax or capital gains tax relief on donations to non-UK charities and those who expect inheritance tax exemption on lifetime gifts or on legacies to such organisations.’

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Law Society's Gazette, 15th May 2023

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Opportunities opening up for “long neglected” returners to the law – Legal Futures

Posted May 5th, 2023 in employment, flexible working, law firms, news, solicitors by tracey

‘The legal profession’s growing appetite for hiring career returners is opening up a wealth of opportunities for a talented group of lawyers who have “long been neglected”.’

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Legal Futures, 5th May 2023

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Law Society: Climate change a “valid” reason to reject clients – Legal Futures

Posted April 19th, 2023 in climate change, codes of practice, environmental protection, law firms, Law Society, legal representation, news, solicitors, Solicitors Regulation Authority by sally

‘Climate-related issues may be “valid considerations” for law firms in deciding whether to act for potential clients, the Law Society has said.’

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Legal Futures, 19th April 2023

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Wasted Costs in the Commercial Court – Hailsham Chambers

Posted April 13th, 2023 in barristers, Commercial Court, news, solicitors, striking out, wasted costs orders by sally

‘In King v Stiefel (Wasted Costs) [2023] EWHC 453 (Comm), the Commercial Court emphatically rejected applications for wasted costs against a barrister and his instructing solicitors, in relation to a claim which had been struck out. The case is a good example of how difficult it is to obtain a wasted costs order against lawyers. William Flenley KC acted for the successful solicitors.’

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Hailsham Chambers, 8th March 2023

Source: www.hailshamchambers.com

TRX v Southampton Football Club [2022] EWHC 3992 (KB): Retainers, lawful CFAs and Rule 47.20 – Costs Litigation Blog

Posted April 12th, 2023 in appeals, chambers articles, costs, news, sexual offences, solicitors, sport by sally

‘This blog by Dan Tobin examines the Court of Appeal decision in TRX v Southampton Football Club [2022] EWHC 3392 (KB).’

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Costs Litigation Blog, 10th March 2023

Source: costsandlitigationfunding.com

New ‘failure to prevent’ offence tabled – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted April 12th, 2023 in bills, crime prevention, fraud, law firms, news, solicitors, Solicitors Regulation Authority by sally

‘A new offence of failure to prevent fraud will be created by an amendment to the Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Bill tabled by the government today. Under the measure, an organisation where a fraud has been committed must be able to demonstrate that it had ‘reasonable measures in place to deter the offending’ or be liable to an unlimited fine.’

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Law Society's Gazette, 11th April 2023

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk