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UK tech ambitions

A new panel aims to make the UK the ‘perfect’ destination for LawTech companies. The LawTech Delivery Panel, launched at last week’s LegalGeek conference and co-sponsored by the Ministry of Justice and the Law Society, will tackle challenges in areas including regulation, ethics and training. 

Dog control update 

A patchwork of dog control laws, some dating back 150 years, is causing unnecessary confusion about liability, MPs have warned. The Commons select committee on environment, food and rural affairs has told the government to consolidate the ‘disparate’ legislation into a ‘single, coherent’ Dog Control Act.

Harassment guidance

The SRA is to update guidance for people making allegations of harassment, following a rise in reports. A letter from chief executive Paul Philip to the House of Commons women and equalities committee revealed that the regulator now has 50 ongoing cases – up from 23 in March.

Civil standard of proof

The Legal Services Board has granted permission for the bar regulator to change the standard of proof applied in disciplinary proceedings from criminal to civil. The change will come into force next March. A consultation on shifting to the civil standard at the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal closed this month.

Employment claims rise

The number of people seeking to bring claims against their employer continues to rise sharply, as the judiciary moves forward with a recruitment spree for tribunal judges. According to the latest figures, in the financial year ended March 2018 there were 109,698 claims accepted, up 23% from 88,476 the year before.