Email is just phoning it in
A generational divide appears over the willingness to get on the ‘dog ’n bone’.
High Court dismisses JR over EHRC trans guidance
Lead claimant Good Law Project told that despite 'sincere interest in the subject matter' it did not have standing.
Firm launches scholarship in memory of much-loved late colleague
Jenny Lewis spent more than 10 years working her way up to a leading role in high-street practice.
Private equity house shuns sale option to hold on to fast-growing firm
Fletchers Group announces long-term backing from an affiliate of owner Sun Capital.
Profits surge at global outfit Kennedys
Firm is targeting 'ambitious goal' of $1 billion in worldwide revenue by 2030.
Judges slash dieselgate costs amid 'over-lawyering' concerns
Claimants were on the 'wrong side of the line’ in original budgets costs management judgment notes.
New blow to SRA as solicitor cleared of 'SLAPP' behaviour awarded costs
Court orders SRA to make an interim payment of £400,000 ‘as soon as possible’ to media lawyer.
Firm's trusted cashier barred over £200,000 theft
Four-year misconduct was only uncovered when rogue cashier went on annual leave.
SRA makes emergency compensation payments to PM Law clients
Intervention spanning 24 offices could be the biggest ever undertaken by the regulator.
MoJ cautions against proposed 'drill music' safeguard
Lawyers concerned that creative and artistic expression is being misused as evidence in criminal proceedings.
Roses are red, lawyers are grey
Here’s a grim press release for Valentine’s Day.
Client to pay costs after failing to cut lawyer's bill by 20%
Costs judge finds the one-fifth rule for assessment costs should apply, despite £28,000 reduction.
Record number of solicitors call mental health charity
‘Need for trusted, accessible and sector-specific support has never been greater’, LawCare chief says.
Complaint numbers rocket to record high
Legal ombudsman figures likely to exceed worst-case projections for the current year.
Solicitor who covered up late arrival in court is struck off
Advocate panicked after case had to be adjourned because he was 30 minutes late.
Getting away with murder
Sleepwalking used as a defence.
New-look lender handbook for conveyancers paused
Banking trade association UK Finance says delay not connected to shelved £50 access fee.
Oatly’s 'post milk generation' trade mark sours in Supreme Court
Judgment shows the UK will 'take a strict approach to the use of protected dairy terms closely aligned with the EU'.
Judgment reserved in first SLAPP strike-out bid
Defendants say £8m action brought by tax barrister bears hallmarks of abusive litigation.
Herbert Smith Freehills joins flight from Canary Wharf to the City
International firm set to bring together London staff from 2030 onwards.
Just two in 10 law firm leaders are women - global report
Law Society deputy vice president calls for greater public commitment to gender equality.
Solicitor convicted of stalking court observer
Lawyer’s conduct ‘involved aggressive threats of litigation and uninvited sexual innuendo’, district judge rules.
Coroner’s two-year adjournment amounted to misconduct
Conduct did not place deceased family at the heart of the inquest, JCIO says.
Book ’em, Danno!
Witness statements in the marathon phone-hacking action brought by Prince Harry and others have piqued Obiter’s interest.
Not-for-profits cool on client account interest raid
MPs told lack of named beneficiaries and having the government administer the scheme is unusual and worrying.
LSB’s effectiveness under scrutiny in new review
Justice minister says review should ensure super-regulator is providing robust and proportionate oversight.
Nationwide becomes first lender to accept e-signature
HM Land Registry hopes building society's announcement will prompt other lenders to follow suit.
Court rejects abuse claim in Capita data breach case
Clients gave informed consent to proceed with group claim following 2023 cyber attack, judge finds.
SRA escapes to minor victory
In a horrible week for the regulator, a small victory.
Solicitors reject client account 'windfall' claims
‘Flawed' scheme to seize interest sets a 'damaging precedent' and conflicts with government growth agenda, says Law Society.
Novice solicitor lied about university career to get City job
Former in-house practitioner ‘created a persona that he thought was required for a role in private practice’.
In the wrong ’uns lane
Our favourite among Leveson’s criminal courts review recommendations? Allowing prison vans to use bus lanes so defendants can get to court on time.
Windrush commissioner to probe legal support
Reverend Clive Foster says he is in a 'hurry for justice' for victims without immigration status or compensation.
£1.3bn needed to get Welsh courts up to standard - LCJ
Lady Carr becomes the first chief justice to give evidence to a Senedd committee.
Return to office mandate 'detrimental' to women's career progression
Concern raised at event discussing new research that reveals 'motherhood penalty' for women in law firms.
Mis-sold motor finance pioneer reports £10m loss as income slumps
Consumer Rights Solicitors says firm has started to broaden its work and has funding in place.
Former nurse barred from courts after 20 years of litigation
Party already subject to restraint order showed 'persistent desire to relitigate issues'.
Firm can go ahead with JR of ombudsman decision
High Court finds London practice has an ‘arguable ground of challenge’ over the £60,000 award despite procedural breaches.
'Video vans' and mobile courtrooms could help backlog - SERCO
SERCO director gives suggestions on how to ease court delays in speech during second Justice for All event.
In depth: Leveson's 135 recommendations to fix the criminal courts
On Wednesday Sir Brian Leveson unveiled the second part of his criminal courts review. Rebuilding the legal aid workforce through annual fee reviews and trainee grants is included in a smorgasbord of recommendations.
In depth: Another accumulator firm goes under - reviving tough questions for the SRA
Monday’s demise of PM Law Group left hundreds jobless and clients in limbo. The SRA has now intervened, as attention once again turns to the risks posed by firms which expand rapidly through acquisition.
PM Law did report closure to SRA
Concerns were raised over why the regulator took two days to intervene.
SRA's new boss pledges 'empathy' and transformation
In her first interview, Sarah Rapson says she would like the regulator to be 'more human', but accepts she has a turnaround job to do.
Korean company faces £91m bill for 'exceptionally serious' disclosure failures
Action brought by UK Hydrographic Office over breaches of its maritime data licences.
Administrative failures create 'inaccessible justice' for LiPs
Research from Blind Justice, a community interest company, found 92% of the cases it analysed had missing or unprocessed documents.
Magistrate’s call to radio show was misconduct
Office-holder identified his role and ‘entered a public debate on a government policy proposal’, JCIO says.
Law centres latest interveners in Mazur to halt access to justice threat
Representative body says High Court ruling has potentially dire consequences for non-commercial organisations.
Master of rolls predicts surge in AI-generated claims
AI will decide minor legal disputes ‘faster and cheaper’ than judges, says Sir Geoffrey Vos.
Top New York lawyer steps down over Epstein contacts
Paul Weiss chairman announces resignation from his leadership role at Wall Street firm.
Probate solicitor paid his £77,000 tax bill with client funds
Practitioner abused his position of authority over three years with ‘deliberate and calculated’ misconduct.
Stranded PM Law clients share their stories on Facebook
More than 400 people - some on the verge of completing a house purchase - join support group for clients affected by group’s shock closure.
Firm numbers fall - but market continues to grow
Long-running annual survey finds 'some limited signs of improvement' in personal injury/medical negligence sector.
SRA intervenes into PM Law group to protect client interests
Regulator takes action two days after clients and staff were shut out of group firms.
Journalist wins right to expert reports in family cases
‘Without transparency the Family Court cannot be fully accountable for the decisions its judges make,’ says judge.
FCA and SRA warn claims firms on excessive exit charges
Joint statement says fees for terminating retainer must be clearly stated up front.
'Stalking victim' wanted a legal career, solicitor tells judge
Stratford magistrates’ court hears allegation of physical encounter in lifts of Royal Courts of Justice.
‘Clear your desk and go’: The overnight closure of PM Law
Clients cast adrift after staff were locked out of IT systems and told to put up the ‘closed’ signs. For now, confusion reigns.
Leveson review: 135 new recommendations to fix courts crisis
Lord chancellor David Lammy says he is urgently considering Sir Brian Leveson's recommendations.
Global firm wins race case - despite 'gauche and inept' rejection emails
Employment judge says Clyde & Co should 'learn some important lessons' about recruitment processes.
Firm fined £68,000 for processing CA$23m through client account
SRA found there was no proper connection between legal services provided and money passed through client account.
Final instalment of Leveson review out tomorrow, Lammy reveals
Part two of Leveson review will make recommendations on how to improve efficiency in the Crown court.
US competition watchdog warns 42 firms over DEI scheme
'Sharing sensitive information about pay and benefits, can violate the antitrust laws,' Federal Trade Commission says.
Formal advice for district judge over delays
Judicial Conduct Investigations Office says judgment delays of ‘just under’ 11 months and 10 months amounted to misconduct.
Staff in despair as 20-practice network shuts suddenly
Reports indicate that Yorkshire and Cumbria outfit PM Law has ‘not closed in the manner we would expect’, SRA says.
Memory lane
Bitcoin technology, foreign lawyer admissions and satire at the bar: a stroll down Gazette memory lane.
Client account 'stealth tax' will hit clients, say lawyers
Government warned that proposed levy on interest payments could put firms doing legal aid work out of business.
SRA must pay Carter-Ruck partner costs in failed 'SLAPP' case
Practitioner subject to ‘legally flawed’ SRA proceedings is claiming around £1 million from regulator.
Taylor Wessing's highest earner nets £200,000 a week
Top-paid LLP member has been paid £23.6m in the last three years, newly filed accounts show.
Client's emails accusing firm of fraud were defamatory
Client sent six emails in a month in response to an invoice for £34,500 from London firm.
Solicitor appeals 'disproportionate' SDT sanction
Suspended practitioner tells court there was no clear link between his conduct and tribunal's finding of breach of integrity.
Northern giant targets London
Brabners embarks on next phase of expansion as revenues surpass £60m.
Partners approve transatlantic merger
Winston & Strawn and Taylor Wessing will combine officially as Winston Taylor in May.
'You were lucky!'
Topic of City solicitors’ chargeable hours kicks off a debate in the pages of The Times.
In depth: The SQE at four - what have we learned?
The SQE has faced fierce criticism since its advent in 2021. This week, assessment provider Kaplan published data addressing issues such as ethnicity attainment. But does the data tell the whole truth?
Dear Deirdre drops in
Agony aunt Deirdre Sanders kicks off Family Mediation Week with an online webinar for separating and divorced parents.
What a carve up
Courts minister Sarah Sackman MP donned the traditional hard hat and Hi-Vis vest this week for a visit to Legal London’s most impressive building site.
UK Finance drops £50 fee for Mortgage Lenders' Handbook
Law Society commends banking trade body for reacting swiftly to the strength of opposition over annual charge.
Reform of inflated clinical negligence damages 'long overdue', say MPs
Public Accounts Committee says government cannot continue to ignore escalating costs of clinical negligence.
CCRC refers former City trader convictions to Court of Appeal
After the Supreme Court quashed the convictions of Tom Hayes and Carlo Palombo, commission says ‘jury misdirection and legal errors have undermined the safety of all the [rate-rigging] convictions’.
In depth: PM takes to TikTok to announce leasehold shake-up
The PM took to TikTok to trumpet a shake-up of the ‘outdated’ leasehold system. Conveyancers welcome a £250 ground rent cap, but plans to make commonhold the default tenure present challenges.
SQE cohort more diverse than working-age population, progress report finds
Study by Solicitors Regulation Authority finds Solicitors Qualifying Examination has been more successful than many of its critics claim.
Regulator eases practising rights rules amid post-Mazur delays
Practising rights entry rules relaxed as more groups join upcoming Court of Appeal proceedings.
Solicitor 'motivated by resentment' banned for deceiving friend
Property specialist had falsely messaged to say that sale of jointly owned property had not yet been completed.
Court makes triple whammy ruling on key fixed costs disputes
Costs judge rules on the scope, timing and provisions of fixed recoverable costs regime.
Mail fail: SDT dismisses allegation against third immigration sting solicitor
Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal finds allegations not proved in latest prosecution setback for SRA.
Pre-Mazur advice 'not always articulated with sufficient precision', LSB concludes
Super-regulator says professional bodies should have been working together to arrive at a shared position.
Court upholds £50,000 ombudsman award to complaining clients
Judge says solicitor was not entitled to court-style disclosure in the ombudsman process.
Conveyancers outraged by £50 fee to access Mortgage Lenders’ Handbook
Solicitors acting for lenders in residential property transactions will have to pay £50 plus VAT from June to access handbook.
Claims firm fined £120,000 for sending millions of unsolicited texts
Barrage of text messages prompted 46,000 complaints from recipients.
Over a third of magistrates' hearings delayed or adjourned, report finds
More than 2,300 hearings in various London courts were observed by volunteer ‘courtwatchers’ over a five-month period.