Profession needs “healthier” approach to alcohol – Legal Futures

Posted January 7th, 2020 in alcohol abuse, health, law firms, news, solicitors by sally

‘The profession needs to create a healthier culture around alcohol, including never asking people at events why they are not drinking, the Law Society’s Junior Lawyers Division (JLD) has urged.’

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Legal Futures, 6th January 2020

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Four days to comply with new money laundering rules – Legal Futures

‘Lawyers have until just this Friday to ensure they comply with the Fifth Money Laundering Directive, the government announced just before Christmas.’

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Legal Futures, 6th January 2020

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

New advertising rule “not a complete ban”, says SRA – Legal Futures

Posted December 19th, 2019 in advertising, news, solicitors, Solicitors Regulation Authority by sally

‘The new rule that prohibits solicitors from making unsolicited approaches to members of the public is not a blanket ban on all advertising, the Solicitors Regulation Authority has clarified.’

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Legal Futures, 19th December 2019

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

BSB and SRA in firing line over shortcomings – Legal Futures

‘The Bar Standards Board (BSB) has been told that it needs to act more quickly on how it plans to educate the public about barristers after its widely criticised decision to stop funding consumer-facing website Legal Choices.’

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Legal Futures, 19th December 2019

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Jailed solicitor must repay £3m or face more prison time – Legal Futures

‘A jailed solicitor involved in the UK’s biggest ever tax fraud must repay £3m of his ill-gotten gains or face a further nine years in prison, a judge at the Old Bailey has ruled.’

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Legal Futures, 18th December 2019

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

CA upholds third party’s oral agreement to pay solicitor’s fees – Litigation Futures

Posted December 16th, 2019 in appeals, contracts, fees, fraud, judicial review, news, solicitors by sally

‘A solicitor who had an oral agreement with the son-in-law of a client that he would cover the legal fees did not fall foul of the 1677 Statute of Frauds, the Court of Appeal has ruled.’

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Litigation Futures, 16th December 2019

Source: www.litigationfutures.com

Solicitor fined £50,000 for misusing client’s interim payments – Legal Futures

‘A solicitor who spent £46,600 of a disabled client’s interim payments on costs and disbursements instead of on rehabilitation, has been fined £50,000 by the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal (SDT).’

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Legal Futures, 13th December 2019

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Tribunal savages SRA witnesses as prosecution left in tatters – Legal Futures

‘The Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal (SDT) has savaged two witnesses who gave evidence on behalf of the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) against a Yorkshire sole practitioner.’

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Legal Futures, 12th December 2019

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Good practice for lawyers towards litigants in person – Family Law

‘Despite there being a variety of reasons why someone may choose to represent themselves in the family courts – this decision isn’t an anomaly. Now only 20% of family court cases have both parties represented. It’s a trend we’ve seen grow in recent years.’

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Family Law, 10th December 2019

Source: www.familylaw.co.uk

Misconduct accusation rejected despite claim value rising by £20k – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted December 10th, 2019 in costs, news, personal injuries, small claims, solicitors, valuation by sally

‘The High Court has allowed a claimant to recover costs outside the personal injury protocol after they upped the value of the claim from £5,000 to more than £25,000. In the process, a deputy master rejected the defendant’s application that claimant solicitors effectively misled the court about the claim’s true value.’

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Law Society's Gazette, 10th December 2019

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Solicitor rebuked for issuing cheque that bounced – Legal Futures

Posted December 10th, 2019 in cheques, fines, news, solicitors, Solicitors Regulation Authority by sally

‘A solicitor has been sanctioned for sending a client a cheque for his damages which bounced.’

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Legal Futures, 10th December 2019

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Solicitor who felt “intimidated” by clients struck off – Legal Futures

‘A partner who said she felt “threatened and intimidated” by clients who would not accept her advice to discontinue has been struck off for lying about the progress of their cases.’

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Legal Futures, 9th December 2019

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

‘McKenzie friends’ must be banned because courts are being overrun by untrained advocates, senior politicians say – Daily Telegraph

‘A new breed of untrained legal advocates who are ripping off the public with “flawed” and “dangerous” legal advice should be banned, lawyers’ leaders and politicians have urged ministers.’

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Daily Telegraph, 8th December 2019

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Law firm wrong to make solicitor pay for training course – Legal Futures

‘A law firm made an unlawful deduction of wages when it took £1,700 from the salary of a sacked solicitor turned office manager to cover the cost of a training course, an employment judge has ruled.’

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Legal Futures, December 2019

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Partner “too embarrassed” to tell clients truth is struck off – Legal Futures

‘A partner who misled beneficiaries about the progress of a case to resolve a dispute over estate assets and then found himself “too embarrassed” to tell them the truth has been struck off.’

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Legal Futures, 5th December 2019

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

More barristers to skip court security – but solicitors still have to queue – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted December 2nd, 2019 in barristers, courts, identification, identity cards, news, solicitors by sally

‘A scheme which enables barristers to bypass court security has been rolled out in 30 more courts – but solicitors still have to undergo searches.’

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Law Society's Gazette, 29th November 2019

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Solicitor took 15 years to finish distributing estate – Legal Futures

Posted December 2nd, 2019 in delay, disciplinary procedures, fines, news, probate, solicitors by sally

‘A veteran solicitor who failed to complete several probate matters promptly – with one taking 15 years – has been fined by a tribunal.’

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Legal Futures, 2nd December 2019

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Tribunal rejects SRA’s disciplinary “ambush”- Legal Futures

‘The Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal (SDT) has rejected four allegations of multiple rule breaches against a solicitor because they were so badly drafted.’

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Legal Futures, 28th November 2019

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Online law school bursts onto scene for SQE – Legal Futures

Posted November 28th, 2019 in examinations, legal education, news, solicitors by sally

‘An online-only law school entered the market yesterday to deliver the new Solicitors Qualifying Examination (SQE), with heavyweight backing from leading academics and lawyers.’

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Legal Futures, 28th November 2019

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

SRA rules open up working or competing with the Bar – Legal Futures

‘The new rules allowing solicitors to work from unregulated businesses open up several opportunities for solicitors – including working with or in competition with barristers, specialists have predicted.’

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Legal Futures, 27th November 2019

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk