High Court overturns Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal fines – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted March 25th, 2011 in disciplinary procedures, fines, news, solicitors by sally

“The High Court last week criticised the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal (SDT) for the lack of published guidance on the sanctions it can impose, as it overturned fines levied on four partners at a Merseyside firm.”

Full story

Law Society’s Gazette, 24th March 2011

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

SRA board backs Tesco law powers and new conduct handbook – Legal Week

“The Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) board has approved the watchdog’s application to become a licensing authority for alternative business structures (ABSs) today (15 March).”

Full story

Legal Week, 15th March 2011

Source: www.legalweek.com

British lawyer uses Facebook to serve court summons – Daily Telegraph

Posted March 15th, 2011 in internet, news, notification, solicitors by sally

“A lawyer has used Facebook to serve a court summons, in what is believed to be the first such case in Britain.”

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 14th March 2011

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Solicitor struck off over ‘land banking’ scheme – Law Society’s Gazette

“A solicitor involved in a ‘land banking’ scheme which cost investors their life savings was struck off by the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal last week.”

Full story

Law Society’s Gazette. 10th March 2011

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Miners’ compensation: why did some solicitors take too big a slice of the pie? – The Guardian

Posted March 9th, 2011 in claims management, compensation, fees, miners, news, solicitors by sally

“Despite delivering £4bn for sick miners and their families, exploitation by some solicitors cast a shadow over the profession.”

Full story

The Guardian, 8th March 2011

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Landmark judgment highlights retainer letter lapse – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted March 4th, 2011 in contracts, fees, news, solicitors by sally

“A High Court judge warned solicitors of the need to be clear in retainer letters, as he ruled that a firm had breached its contract by refusing to carry out further work for a client until he had paid his bills, in a decision that the judge admitted ‘may seem harsh’.”

Full story

Law Society’s Gazette, 3rd March 2011

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Queen’s counsel: the merits of giving the best advocates a badge of excellence – The Guardian

Posted March 3rd, 2011 in barristers, legal profession, news, queen's counsel, solicitors by sally

“The increase in the proportion of women and ethnic minorities on the new Queen’s counsel list is something the Ministry of Justice should celebrate.”

Full story

The Guardian, 2nd March 2011

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

CMCS Common Market Commercial Services AVV v Taylor; Taylor v Stoutt and others – WLR Daily

Posted February 25th, 2011 in costs, disclosure, law reports, privilege, solicitors by sally

CMCS Common Market Commercial Services AVV v Taylor; Taylor v Stoutt and others [2011] EWHC 324 (Ch); [2011] WLR (D) 57

“There was no difference in principle between the ambit of a solicitor’s duty to the court in relation to the conduct and supervision of disclosure of documents and the conduct and supervision of any redaction of disclosable doccuments prior to inspection.”

WLR Daily, 24th February 2011

Source: www.lawreports.co.uk

Please note that once a case has been fully reported in one of the ICLR series the corresponding WLR Daily summary is removed.

How a lawyer can change their specialist practice area – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted February 24th, 2011 in legal profession, news, solicitors by sally

“It is a common observation among middle-aged lawyers that the increasing need to specialise very early in a legal career has changed the face of the profession. Time spent in a more general or rounded practice has been much reduced, leading to a situation where lawyers are making key decisions about their future specialism much earlier.”

Full story

Law Society’s Gazette, 24th February 2011

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Solicitor suspended over 19-year estate delay – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted February 18th, 2011 in delay, disciplinary procedures, news, professional conduct, solicitors by sally

“A Suffolk solicitor was suspended from practice last week after taking 19 years to settle a spinster’s estate.”

Full story

Law Society’s Gazette, 17th February 2011

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Lawyer wins £10,000 damages from Solicitors from Hell owner – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted February 18th, 2011 in damages, defamation, internet, news, solicitors by sally

“A judge has condemned the owner of the Solicitors from Hell website for his conduct when committing a serious libel against a young solicitor.”

Full story

Law Society’s Gazette, 17th February 2011

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Solicitors Regulation Authority v Davis and another – WLR Daily

Posted February 7th, 2011 in costs, disciplinary procedures, law reports, solicitors, tribunals by sally

Solicitors Regulation Authority v Davis and another [2011] WLR (D) 36

“Where a solicitor admitted disciplinary charges, and therefore anticipated sanctions upon him, he should give notice in advance of the hearing to the Solicitors Regulation Authority and the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal that he intended to contend either that no order for costs should be made against him, in exercise of the tribunal’s power under section 47(2) of the Solicitors Act 1974, or that any order for costs should be limited by reason of his lack of means.”

WLR Daily, 4th February 2011

Source: www.lawreports.co.uk

Please note once a case has been fully reported in one of the ICLR series the corresponding WLR Daily summary is removed.

Law firm not liable to loan losses, says appeal court – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted February 3rd, 2011 in banking, damages, negligence, news, solicitors, ultra vires by sally

“A law firm that gave negligent advice to a bank before the bank lost £28m in loans advanced to two local authorities does not have to reimburse those losses, the Court of Appeal ruled last week.”

Full story

Law Society’s Gazette, 3rd February 2011

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Haugesund Kommune and another v DEPFA ACS Bank (Wikborg Rein & Co, Part 20 defendants) – WLR Daily

Posted February 1st, 2011 in banking, damages, law reports, negligence, solicitors, ultra vires by sally

Haugesund Kommune and another v DEPFA ACS Bank (Wikborg Rein & Co, Part 20 defendants) [2011] EWCA Civ 33; [2011] WLR (D) 25

“A firm of solicitors which erroneously advised a bank that municipalities would not be acting ultra vires if they entered into a swap arrangement with the bank was not liable for the losses resulting from the municipalities’ inability to make restitution once the void nature of the swap agreement came to light. Despite their negligence in relation to the vires of the municipalities, the solicitors had taken no responsibility for their creditworthiness or good faith or for the fact that the bank could not lawfully obtain execution against them when they defaulted on the arrangement.”

WLR Daily, 31st January 2011

Source: www.lawreports.co.uk

Please note once a case has been fully reported in one of the ICLR series the corresponding wLR Daily summary is removed.

Milners lawyer Simon Morgan jailed for stealing £1.4m – BBC News

Posted January 28th, 2011 in abuse of position of trust, news, sentencing, solicitors, theft by sally

“A solicitor who stole £1.4m from his firm to fund a lavish lifestyle has been jailed for seven years.”

Full story

BBC News, 27th January 2011

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

How the self-employed criminal bar intends to compete with solicitors – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted January 27th, 2011 in barristers, criminal justice, legal services, news, solicitors by sally

“There are probably about 5,000 self-employed barristers and 1,000 higher court advocates active in criminal defence work. While the number of firms has dwindled substantially in the last few years, the number of barristers has increased, notwithstanding the fact that the work has diminished, mainly through the Crown Prosecution Service taking 25% of it in-house.”

Full story

Law Society’s Gazette, 27th January 2011

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Chancery Lane hails landmark ruling on access to justice – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted January 27th, 2011 in costs, fees, news, solicitors by sally

“Solicitors must be allowed to shoulder the risk of adverse costs orders on behalf of their clients to ensure proper access to justice, the Court of Appeal ruled today.”

Full story

Law Society’s Gazette, 26th January 2011

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Chancery Lane warns against publication of complaints – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted January 6th, 2011 in complaints, law firms, minorities, news, solicitors by sally

“Reporting the names of lawyers and law firms who have been the subject of complaints by the public will disproportionately affect sole practitioners and black and minority ethnic (BME) lawyers, according to the Law Society.”

Full story

Law Society’s Gazette, 5th January 2011

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Solicitor jailed over bogus college scam – Home Office

Posted December 14th, 2010 in fraud, immigration, press releases, sentencing, solicitors by sally

“Three people have been sentenced to a total of eighteen and a half years for setting up bogus colleges to help illegal immigrants remain in the UK.”

Full press release

Home Office, 13th December 2010

Source: www.homeoffice.gov.uk

Gloucestershire coroner’s law practice investigated – BBC News

Posted December 10th, 2010 in accounts, disciplinary procedures, news, professional conduct, solicitors by sally

“The Cheltenham law firm of Gloucestershire coroner Alan Crickmore has been closed following concerns over the way it was being run.”

Full story

BBC News, 9th December 2010

Source: www.bbc.co.uk