EXCLUSIVE: KC calls for better safeguarding after litigant ‘ruins lawyers’ lives’
June Venters KC has has called for lawyers to be “properly safeguarded” after a litigant subjected two professionals to a “total nightmare” via email and TikTok videos. Deputy High Court Judge Aidan Eardley KC recently granted an interim injunction against David Protheroe-Beynon after June Venters KC, representing both claimants pro bono, told the court of […]
Over 1,000 chartered legal executives secure standalone litigation practice rights in the wake of Mazur
Over 1,000 CILEX lawyers have successfully obtained litigation practice rights, enabling them to carry out litigation without the need for supervision, in the wake of the Mazur judgment. CILEx Regulation (CRL), which oversees the education, qualification and practice standards of chartered legal executives, said 1094 professionals had obtained practice rights authorisations via the University of […]
Misconduct reports up 58% in two years, says SRA
The Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) has revealed a 58% increase in misconduct reports “placing significant pressure” on the number of investigations it is having to undertake. In the six months to the end of April 2026, the SRA reviewed 8,955 reports about potential misconduct (at an average of 1,493 new reports a month). This constitutes […]
Legal Ombudsman decision results in £13,000 compensation bill for divorce lawyer
The Legal Ombudsman (LeO) has published its latest raft of public interest decisions, revealing “serious failings in the delivery of legal services”. The six new decisions reveal failures to provide clear advice, carry out essential checks and manage cases effectively have led to tangible and, in some instances, irreversible consequences for the individuals involved. All […]
Family mediation voucher scheme extended as FOI request shows uptake doubled since launch
The Family Mediation Voucher Scheme has received the £7 million funding needed to extend it for a further 12 months, Justice Minister Baroness Levitt KC has confirmed. The scheme, which provides eligible couples with up to £500 towards professional mediation costs, was launched in response to the court delays caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Its […]
BSB produces guidance on the use of AI for barristers
“Effectively procuring, adopting, and using technologies takes skill and resources” the Bar Standards Board (BSB) says in newly published guidance on the use of artificial intelligence in practice. Guidance on the use of Artificial Intelligence and Other Technologies has been published in response to the increasing use of AI tools across legal practice, recent cases […]
Delays after the decision: When Family Court orders get stuck in the system
The distressing impact of delays in the Family Courts doesn’t end after the case is heard, Sean Hilton and Phoebe Starbuck say. The partner and solicitor at Stevens & Bolton examine the ongoing financial and emotional impact of court delays, even after orders have been made. Delays within the family courts are no longer […]
The ‘motherhood penalty’ and the legal profession
The latest Today’s Family Lawyer Podcast turns its attention to one of the profession’s most persistent, and least openly discussed, challenges: the impact of maternity leave on women’s careers in law. While the legal sector is not alone in perpetuating the motherhood penalty, the measurable career disadvantage experienced by women after having children, the podcast […]