Family law firm compensates client after failure to update her on divorce delay due to Legal Ombudsman investigation

A family law client was compensated after the The Legal Ombudsman (LeO) investigated a firm’s failure to communicate with her during her divorce proceedings – exampling the top complaint from consumers against family law firms. Poor communication, delays and progression failures are among the most common grievances cited by consumers using family law services. LeO […]
NSPCC seen a surge in concerns about children experiencing domestic abuse

The NSPCC Helpline fielded almost 4,000 contacts about concerns for children experiencing domestic abuse between April 2024 and September 2024. There has been a 19% increase about the issue compared to the same period last year. Coercive or controlling behaviour, emotional domestic abuse and post-separation domestic abuse were concerns repeatedly raised in contacts the adult […]
Victims to be given more protection in stalking crackdown

Stalking victims are to be given more protection and perpetrators will face robust management under a raft of new measures unveiled by the Home Office. For the first time, the Home Secretary will issue new ‘Right to Know’ statutory guidance to empower the police to release the identity of an online stalker at the earliest opportunity. […]
Divorce solicitor removed from profession for forging client’s signature

Sally Gandon, an experienced solicitor with a 44-year career, has been struck off following an agreement with the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) after admitting to forging a divorce client’s signature, as reported by The Law Society Gazette. The Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal confirmed the sanction after a one-day hearing last month. Gandon, who previously maintained an […]
What risks might sink your ship in 2025?

Ahead of the launch of an exciting new initiative in 2025 related to Risk Management within legal services firms, Today’s Media is surveying law firms on which risks to their business most concerns them; what firms see as important issues in 2025 and beyond; and how well equipped they feel to tackle them. The results […]
Gingerbread calls on the government to fix the CMS

Gingerbread have published a new report on the impact of the Child Maintenance Service (CMS) on separated families. Single parents – both those paying and receiving maintenance – have told them that the way the CMS works can contribute to worsening relationships between separated parents. Gingerbread have said that reforming the CMS must be a […]
First increase to civil legal aid fees in nearly 30 years welcomed, but still more to do says Law Society

The Ministry of Justice (MoJ) has announced a £20 million investment to increase civil legal aid fees for immigration and housing, marking the first increase for any civil legal aid providers since the mid-nineties. The Law Society of England and Wales welcomes the increase to legal aid rates, however, this must be followed with a […]
Legal sector grows by 50% in the last decade

The gross value added (GVA) from UK legal services is estimated to have increased by 50% in the last decade. According to the newly published Economic Value report by the Law Society of England and Wales, the gross value added from UK legal sector was £34.2 billion in 2022 (£22.8 billion in 2013). The growth […]
The future of financial remedies: What the Law Commission’s review may mean for an ‘out of date’ system

In April 2023, the Law Commission announced the start of its review of the law governing financial remedies on a divorce/dissolution of a civil partnership, and potential recommendations for reform. Its scoping report is set to be published in December 2024. The current system centres around the Matrimonial Causes Act 1973 (‘MCA 1973’) and is […]