Defending Solicitors' Rights To Practise
According to the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS), the number of students accepted onto a law degree course has reached an all-time high in 2025, seeing a 10.4% increase compared to the previous year. … Read More
In March 2025, the Professional Practical Experience (PPE) Commission submitted a report to the ARB. The PPE Commission was established by the ARB in February 2024 to review and improve the quality and accessibility of … Read More
In July 2025, BBC Panorama aired an investigation into the use of referral fees and ‘conditional selling’ by estate agents, entitled “Undercover Estate Agents”. It looked at how some buyers are being pressured into using … Read More
In April 2025, the Serious Fraud Office (SFO) published new guidance for corporations and businesses on self-reporting concerns about potential acts of serious or complex fraud, including corruption. The document explains the factors considered by … Read More
In January 2025, the SDT released a new set of procedures to streamline case progression and facilitate non-party disclosure. The new procedures are intended to allow parties involved more time to understand each other’s cases … Read More
In February 2025, the SRA published the findings of an independent study into consumer vulnerability in the legal market. The study was conducted by Professor Harriet Pierpoint and Dr Paolo Baffero at the University of … Read More
The SRA has made it abundantly clear that it will take action against any law firm not complying with its AML requirements. Recent regulatory action highlights that even if firms are carrying out the necessary … Read More
The recent High Court case of Olsen & Anor v Finansiel Stabilitet [2025] EWHC 42 has highlighted the potential risk of legal professionals using AI to prepare cases. Contrastingly, in February 2025, in a speech … Read More
In mid-December, the SRA published two thematic reviews: one into professional obligations and the other into probate and estate administration. Both reviews followed the release of the SRA’s 2023 Annual Assessment of Continuing Competence. The … Read More
On 19th December 2024, the SRA published a warning notice to regulated law firms and professionals entitled, “Marketing your services to members of the public”. It concerns prohibited marketing practices, including cold calling, door knocking, … Read More
In November 2024, the SRA published a new consultation entitled “Client money in legal services – safeguarding consumers and providing redress: The model of solicitors holding client money” on possible changes to how and when … Read More
The SRA has published new guidance that is specifically intended to help, guide, and support in-house solicitors operating in England and Wales. The in-house legal guidance is based on feedback following stakeholder feedback on drafts … Read More
A new landmark white paper entitled ‘Agents of Change: The General Counsel role in creating culture and blueprints for leadership’, a joint venture between The Eagle Club and Mishcon de Reya, has highlighted the essential … Read More
In June 2024, the SRA launched a consultation on proposed changes to its financial penalty regime. The consultation proposes changes to the SRA fining guidance that the SRA believe will help them ‘deliver a strong … Read More
In May 2024, the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) published a stark warning on its website to law firms engaged in financial product mis-selling compensation claims, urging them to adhere strictly to their professional obligations. The … Read More
On 21st June 2024, the SRA issued a warning notice to law firms about the requirement to address any shortages in client accounts promptly. The warning highlights the severe consequences of failing to replace missing … Read More
In September 2023, the Architects Registration Board (ARB) published a consultation report on proposals for a new regulatory approach to how architects are trained and educated in the UK. In this article, we will take … Read More
In part 1 of this article, we looked at the SRA’s Risk Outlook report on the implications of AI for the UK’s legal market. In part 2, we will look at some of the specific … Read More
On 20th February 2024, RICS published new guidance entitled, ‘Developing an Inclusive Culture’ with the aim of encouraging greater levels of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) within the chartered surveyor sector and more broadly. The … Read More
True to their word, the SRA has started 2024 by cracking down hard on law firm anti-money laundering (AML) non-compliance. In October 2023, the SRA issued a warning notice regarding client and matter risk assessments, … Read More
