Defending Solicitors' Rights To Practise
Jon Goodwin The annual Mental Health Awareness Week event, held this year in May, is an important reminder for us all to consider our own mental health and that of those around us. This year’s theme was … Read More
On 21 January 2021, in what the SRA referred to as a “clamp down”, they announced they had already disciplined nine law firms for not adhering to rules on transparency. It appears this clamp down … Read More
In the digital age, our actions, thoughts, and feelings are there for all to see on social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Snapchat. Employers are routinely scouring social media accounts of prospective … Read More
With climate change becoming a more pressing issue for us all, it is likely that customers of the future will choose to work with businesses, including law firms, not just on their professional record but … Read More
When reading the Google reviews of many law firms it quickly becomes clear that significant numbers are fake and/or malicious. You can quickly tell this by the number of times law firms have to reply … Read More
Back in November 2016, the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) removed the requirement for solicitors to count CPD hours and replaced this with a self-regulatory requirement for legal professionals. They advised legal practitioners to “reflect on … Read More
In a recent speech at the London International Disputes Week, Sir Geoffrey Vos, Master of the Rolls (“MR”) stated that online dispute resolution (ODR) was set to transform justice and lawyers must embrace the coming … Read More
Under the SRA Accounts Rules, law firms are required to “have systems and controls in place to ensure compliance with these rules [the SRA rules] and the nature of those systems must be appropriate to … Read More
A recent Thomson Reuters survey shows that two-thirds of UK lawyers believe working from home has improved their wellbeing. According to the responses, on average, lawyers would prefer to work from home (WFH) two days … Read More
If you have been investigated by the SRA and the matter has been referred to the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal (SDT) it is imperative that you instruct an experienced SRA and SDT defence solicitor. This is … Read More
At the beginning of March, Chancellor, Rishi Sunak announced in his Spring Budget that £100 million is to be set aside to form a Taxpayer Protection Taskforce. A team of 1,250 HMRC officials will be … Read More
Jonathan Goodwin has been successful in persuading the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal (SDT) to restore Shadab Ahmed Khan, who was convicted for money laundering offences, to the Roll of Solicitors. Mr Khan was admitted to the … Read More
All conveyancing and probate professionals who are regulated by the Council for Licenced Conveyancers (CLC) can be investigated by the body if allegations of misconduct are made. All regulated conveyancers are expected to comply with … Read More
The SRA has imposed sanctions on four law firms for failing to meet the transparency requirements introduced in 2018. Published decision notices show Manchester firm AWH Legal was fined £2,000, London firm Sal & Co … Read More
Like all professions, architects are robustly regulated. The Architects Act 1997, section 13 provides that the Architects Registration Board (ARB) must issue a Code setting out the professional standards and conduct expected of a person … Read More
The Financial Times has called it a “bonfire of taxpayers’ money”. All over the UK, businesses, including law firms, architects, and surveyors have been or are at risk of being exploited by criminals to defraud … Read More
The Coronavirus pandemic has rapidly changed all our lives, both in terms of work and home. The legal profession will, along with other sectors, face enormous challenges and opportunities dealing with the continuing pandemic and … Read More
In November 2020, the Government launched a consultation on plans to amend the Architects Act 1997 (AA 1997) to allow the Architects Registration Board (ARB) to regularly examine architects and remove practitioners that do not … Read More
Mark Boyle, policy lead on anti-money laundering for the SRA has stated that law firms must learn exactly where their clients’ money is coming from if they want to effectively fight money laundering. The statement … Read More
There have been several recent cases of dishonesty before the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal (SDT) following Solicitors Regulation Authority investigations (SRA). Below is a summary of two of these decisions and what can be learnt from … Read More