Defending Solicitors' Rights To Practise
Jon Goodwin In December 2022, the SDT struck Ian Caunt Wilson from the Roll of Solicitors following a referral by the SRA relating to hundreds of unpresented disbursement cheques found in a filing cabinet. The allegations brought … Read More
2023 is likely to be a year of more uncertainty for UK law firms. Having come out of the other side of Brexit and, more recently, COVID-19, law firms are now grappling with the “war … Read More
In a recent case reported in the Law Society Gazette, an employment tribunal concluded that the dismissal of an assistant solicitor by his employer was “procedurally unfair”. Luton based legal practitioner Edegbai Oise brought a … Read More
On 9th November 2022, the SRA issued a warning on its website entitled, “Warning: Malicious email purporting to be from the SRA”. What made this warning particularly concerning was that it related to a spurious … Read More
On 23rd November 2022, the SRA published the key findings of its ‘Immigration and asylum thematic review” and new Guidance for Solicitors undertaking immigration work which drew on the review. In this article, we will … Read More
In a recent case heard by the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal (SDT), solicitor Mr Anthony Gale was suspended from practice for 12 months because he failed to protect his vulnerable client from being taken advantage of … Read More
Like most other skilled professions, the legal industry is engaged in a battle for talent. Although some large multi-national and City firms can offer eye-watering salaries to attract the best people, medium and small practices … Read More
David Carter Hughes, who is now head of property at the Irlam office of Manchester firm Bannister Preston, was recently issued with a fine of £15,000 for providing incorrect information to 115 clients regarding their … Read More
Following a consultation on the future of ‘post-six-year run-off cover’ (PSYROC) and the Solicitors Indemnity Fund (SIF) by the SRA, it was recently announced that the scheme will come to an end and be replaced … Read More
A recent SDT case saw solicitor Mladen Kesar issued with a fine and an indefinite Restriction Order after it was found that he used disbursement money received from the Legal Aid Agency to pay office … Read More
During a lengthy 12-day hearing in February 2022, several claims of discrimination and victimisation made by solicitor Mark Gaskell against the Ministry of Justice were considered by the Employment Tribunal in Leeds. Mr Gaskell was … Read More
We recently wrote an article about former solicitor Stephen Acres, who was jailed for stealing from his elderly client. This month we will look at the case of solicitor James Allie, who transferred the ownership … Read More
In what may signify a shift in the way that the SRA deal with conduct investigations in the future, on 29th June 2022, the SRA was given new powers to issue fines of up to … Read More
In a recent article, we wrote about the increase in the SRA’s fining powers approved by the Lord Chancellor, from £2,000 to £25,000, which came into force on 20th July 2022, following a consultation process … Read More
After a Crown Court trial that caught the attention of the national press due to the sheer scale of wrongdoing, a solicitor has been jailed for stealing over £20m from investors. Timothy Schools, a solicitor … Read More
Nearly five years after he was struck off the Roll of Solicitors for stealing money from an elderly client, Stephen Acres has now been sentenced to six years in jail. Many may recall the original … Read More
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