Defending Solicitors' Rights To Practise
On 14th August 2023, the SRA published a report into the preparation of Non-Disclosure Agreements (NDAs) by law firms between employers and employees. The report entitled “Thematic Review: The use of Non-Disclosure Agreements in workplace … Read More
In the UK, the Architects Act 1997 (AA 1997) provides for the regulation of the architects’ profession, with the Architects Registration Board (ARB) being responsible for its oversight. The ARB exists to: manage the UK … Read More
Standards matter; of this there is little dispute, but when it comes to the development and management of land, real estate, construction and infrastructure, standards are vital to safety, economic sustainability, and health. As a … Read More
Artificial intelligence (AI) is reshaping the operational practices of several sectors, and law is no exception. ChatGPT, developed by OpenAI, is a language model which can understand user questions, generate comprehensive responses, and facilitate conversation. … Read More
On 10th May 2023, the SRA announced a new consultation inviting input on their 2023-2026 Corporate Strategy. This builds on the current 2020-2023 Corporate Strategy after discussion with the SRA’s Board, SRA staff, and a … Read More
In May 2023, the Legal Service Board (LSB) published a new study entitled, ‘The lived experiences of legal professionals: Barriers to getting in, being in and getting on – Qualitative Research Debrief’. The purpose of … Read More
As the independent statutory Post Office Horizon IT scandal Inquiry continues throughout 2023 and beyond, significant scrutiny is being placed on the actions and conduct of those within the legal profession who contributed to the … Read More
In March 2023, the SRA published its “in-house solicitors thematic review” following a comprehensive survey involving over 1,200 in-house solicitors. The SRA undertook a series of interviews with in-house solicitors working in both private and … Read More
On 15 February 2023, the SRA published two separate updates; one on its updated approach to fines and publishing decisions and another on the rules for post-six-year client protection against negligence claims in readiness for … Read More
Solicitors will no longer be able to rely on check-box exercises when demonstrating competence to SRA officials. The Regulator has put law firms on notice that from this summer, it will take a proactive approach … Read More
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