Referral Fees and Illegality: Litkraft Ltd v Cottrell – Ropewalk Chambers

Posted April 11th, 2023 in chambers articles, contracts, fees, illegality, news, solicitors by sally

‘Litkraft Ltd v (1) Cottrell (2) Williams (3) Goldsmith [2023] EWHC 465 (Comm) has touched upon, but not decided, whether certain fee sharing arrangements could amount to a prohibited referral fee under section 56 of the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act 2012 (“LASPO”).’

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Ropewalk Chambers, 14th March 2023

Source: ropewalk.co.uk

Why are there so many cases against lawyers for contempt of court? – 4 New Square

Posted March 31st, 2023 in chambers articles, contempt of court, news, solicitors by sally

‘There has been a spate of cases in the past couple of years where contempt of court proceedings have been brought against lawyers. Prompted by the recent decision by Leech J to imprison struck off solicitor Soophia Khan for a further period of 12 months for failing to deliver up her firm’s files to SRA intervention agents, Helen Evans KC examines what is going on. When can contempt proceedings be brought against lawyers, and are they becoming more frequent?’

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4 New Square, 20th March 2023

Source: www.4newsquare.com

Law Society calls in leading figures to support “21st century justice” project – Legal Futures

Posted March 14th, 2023 in civil justice, costs, electronic filing, legal aid, news, solicitors by sally

‘The Law Society has pulled together figures from law firms, technology and business – as well as the former Senior President of Tribunals – to support a project looking at how the justice system can be made “fit for the future”.’

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Legal Futures, 14th March 2023

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Solicitor apprenticeships launched for part-qualified legal professionals – Legal Futures

Posted March 7th, 2023 in legal education, legal profession, news, paralegals, solicitors by sally

‘The first solicitor apprenticeship scheme has been launched which is specifically designed for paralegals part-way through qualifications with other legal bodies, such as CILEX and the Council for Licensed Conveyancers (CLC).’

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Legal Futures, 7th March 2023

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

SRA wins approval to destroy 765,000 files from shut-down firms – Legal Futures

‘The High Court has given the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) permission to destroy immediately around 765,000 files it is storing after intervening in law firms in recent years.’

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Legal Futures, 3rd March 2023

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Ministers face legal battle with criminal solicitors over legal aid – The Guardian

Posted March 2nd, 2023 in criminal justice, legal aid, news, remuneration, solicitors by tracey

‘Ministers could face a legal battle over their refusal to increase legal aid rates for criminal defence solicitors in England and Wales by the minimum recommended in an independent review. The Law Society, the professional body for solicitors, claims there has been an “unlawful and irrational” failure to implement the 15% minimum increase recommended by Christopher Bellamy as necessary to sustain the future of the criminal justice system.’

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The Guardian, 1st March 2023

Source: www.theguardian.com

City law firms using diversity schemes for “reputation laundering” – Legal Futures

Posted March 1st, 2023 in diversity, equality, law firms, news, solicitors by sally

‘The efforts of City law firms to become more diverse and inclusive are a form of “reputation laundering”, offering only the “illusion of change”, an academic and diversity specialist has argued.’

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Legal Futures, 1st March 2023

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Lawyer calls for change to female inheritance traditions – BBC News

Posted February 24th, 2023 in equality, families, news, solicitors, wills, women by sally

‘A lawyer says she hopes for a change in attitude towards inheritance among British Asians after winning a case in which a widow secured half her late husband’s fortune.’

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BBC News, 24th February 2023

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Judges urged to call out role of lawyers in “layering” PI claims – Legal Futures

Posted February 23rd, 2023 in doctors, expert witnesses, fraud, news, personal injuries, solicitors by sally

‘The ruling of a district judge highlighting apparent collusion between solicitors, medical experts and others in inflating a personal injury claim is an important landmark in the fight against fraud, the defendant lawyer involved has argued.’

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Legal Futures, 23rd February 2023

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Paralegal awarded £30k over pregnancy discrimination and low pay – Legal Futures

Posted February 20th, 2023 in damages, employment, employment tribunals, equality, news, paralegals, pregnancy, solicitors by tracey

‘A solicitor has been ordered to pay a paralegal over £30,000 after an employment tribunal found he discriminated against her once she became pregnant.’

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Legal Futures, 17th February 2023

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

News focus: Are lawyers still breaching judgment embargoes? – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted February 20th, 2023 in appeals, barristers, contempt of court, disclosure, judgments, law firms, news, solicitors by tracey

‘Despite the master of the rolls’ clarion call for lawyers to respect judgment embargoes and a warning about possible contempt proceedings, high-profile breaches continue to happen.’

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Law Society's Gazette, 17th February 2023

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Slips and SLAPPs – SRA review finds good level of compliance – Legal Futures

‘There is an increasing trend of firms threatening to report their opponents to the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) as a litigation tactic, solicitors have told the regulator.’

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Legal Futures, 14th February 2023

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

SRA to keep many disciplinary decisions online for longer – Legal Futures

‘Details of many disciplinary and other regulatory actions taken by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) will be published for longer than they are now, the regulator has decided.’

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Legal Futures, 15th February 2023

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Beneficiary allowed to challenge firm’s fees after fourfold rise – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted February 13th, 2023 in costs, fees, law firms, news, solicitors, wills by tracey

‘The High Court has allowed a will beneficiary to challenge a costs bill which rose significantly from its original estimate.’

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Law Society’s Gazette, 10th February 2023

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

CoA shows mercy over judgment embargo breach – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted January 31st, 2023 in contempt of court, electronic mail, judgments, news, solicitors by tracey

‘Three Court of Appeal judges have shown mercy towards an in-house lawyer in the US who has admitted emailing the outcome of a London judgment to his US legal team in breach of an embargo.’

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Law Society’s Gazette, 30th January 2023

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

New ‘failure to prevent’ offence could hit lawyers – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted January 27th, 2023 in bills, crime prevention, disciplinary procedures, fines, fraud, news, solicitors by sally

‘The government is preparing to bring in new laws to create an offence of ‘failure to prevent fraud’ that could put solicitors at risk of facing prosecution.’

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Law Society's Gazette, 26th January 2023

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Number of SRA investigations into SLAPPs continues to rise – Legal Futures

‘The number of law firms being investigated for possible misconduct relating to strategic lawsuits against public participation (SLAPPs) has doubled since the summer to 40, the chief executive of the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) revealed yesterday.’

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Legal Futures, 25th January 2023

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Court rejects contempt bid over solicitor’s witness statement error – Legal Futures

Posted January 23rd, 2023 in contempt of court, news, solicitors, wills, witnesses by tracey

‘The High Court has rejected an application to begin contempt proceedings against a solicitor over what it said was a simple error in a witness statement.’

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Legal Futures, 23rd January 2023

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Regulators plan new work on lawyers’ misuse of NDAs – Law Society’s Gazette

‘Regulators will seek to draw up new rules on dealing with lawyers who use non-disclosure agreements to cover up clients’ sexual misconduct and harassment, it has emerged.’

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Law Society's Gazette, 23rd January 2023

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Firm handed largest-ever fine for transparency rules non-compliance – Legal Futures

Posted January 20th, 2023 in fines, law firms, news, solicitors, Solicitors Regulation Authority by tracey

‘The Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) has fined a law firm that did not comply with its transparency rules £3,500, the highest penalty it has issued for the offence.’

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Legal Futures, 20th January 2023

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk