No better time for financial advisers to enter divorce and separation market
There is no better time for financial advisors to enter the divorce and separation market according to a new report from membership body Resolution which estimates the value of the opportunity at around £1/2bn. ‘Unlock the divorce and separation market; a £500 million opportunity for financial advisers‘ has been published by Resolution in partnership with […]
NAO gives damning verdict of family courts as 4000 children still in proceedings 2 years on
The lack of a joined up approach to family law proceedings is part of a wider issue of accountability within the courts service which is causing harm to families and costing millions according to a damning report by the National Audit Office (NAO) into family courts. With responsibility for family justice shared between the Ministry […]
LAA offline to deal with cyber attack after unconfirmed reports of 2.1m records affected
There are unverified reports of up to 2.1m people’s records being accessed by the group responsible for the Legal Aid Agency (LAA) cyber attack confirmed last week. Those affected are thought to be people who have applied for legal aid in the last 15 years, with personal details including contact details, addresses, national insurance number, […]
EHRC seeks views on updated sex and gender guidance following Supreme Court ruling
Enquiries about a person’s sex and gender could be ‘justified’ according to the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) in the wake of the landmark judgment passed down by the Supreme Court. Hospitals, sports clubs and leisure centres will be allowed to request birth certificates to ensure single-sex services are ‘protected’ but, warns the EHRC, […]
Consultant model ‘a fundamental part of the UK legal fabric’
Alternative legal platform providers, otherwise known as consultant-model law firms, continue to demonstrate ‘importance that lawyers are placing on autonomy, work-life balance, and the ability to build a practice supported by strong infrastructure’ say the authors of a report into the size and structure of the market. The sector hit over 4,000 practitioners last year, […]
Guidance on the use of covert recordings in family proceedings published
Guidance on the use of and admissibility of recording secretly made to provide evidence for family law proceedings has been published by the Family Justice Council; recognising the sparsity of advice in this complex area of law. Covert recordings in Family Law proceedings concerning children: Family Justice Council Guidance’, follows an increased use of covert […]
Marriage, cohabitation and undue influence amongst key recommendations in Law Commission’s modernising Wills Report
The Law Commission has published its much-anticipated report into the modernisation of Wills law and testamentary freedom in which it outlines reform recommendations including the enablement of electronic wills; the abolition of the law that revokes a Will upon marriage; and the updating of the test for testamentary capacity to recognise the modern test in […]
‘No relief’ from AML fines as SRA highlights £100,000 in penalties
The Solicitors Regulation Authority has said it will continue to ‘ratchet up the consequences’ of non-compliance with anti-money laundering regulations, as it released details of fines totalling almost £100,000 in the first two weeks of May. In a media briefing last week, the SRA’s chief executive Paul Philip acknowledged that non-compliance with AML rules ‘is […]
Largest London Legal Walk yet coming 17th June
The 21st London Legal Walk is expected to be the largest to date in its 21st year; and the Solicitor’s Charity is calling on professionals to lace up their walking shoes and join them to walk, jog, or run 10 km in support of the London Legal Support Trust, London Legal Walk takes places on […]
40% have ‘low financial resilience’ – FCA
One in ten people have no cash saving and one in five have less than £1,000 to draw upon in an emergency according to research conducted by the Financial Conduct Authority. The regulator said it considered 40% of people to have ‘low financial resilience’, meaning they have missed payments, are struggling to keep up with […]
Scots back further discussion on legalising assisted dying
The Scottish Parliament has voted in favour of moving the assisted dying debate forward by a count of 70 to 56, with one abstention. The bill, which was tabled by Liberal Democrat MSP Liam McArthur, passed the first vote in the Scottish Parliament although even supporters wanted to see changes made before they wrre prepared […]
Self-styled “Joe Donor” loses high court bid for access to children he fathered
A sperm donor has lost his High Court case to be named on birth certificates with the judge ruling it was likely the proceedings were started to support an immigration application. Self-styled “Joe Donor” Robert Albon is an unregulated sperm donor originally from the USA who now resides in the northeast of England. He started […]
Law Commission could recommend changes to marriage revoking a Will
The upcoming Law Commission Report on Wills is due to be published on Friday 16th May and it is thought it could recommend changes to rules where a Will is revoked in the event of marriage or civil partnership. The report, which has sought views on a range of potential and climactic reforms to private […]
£20m committed to supporting victims of domestic abuse
The government have said they are committing £20m to support victims of domestic abuse and sexual violence through a series measures announced this week. £6m will go to fund helplines across 8 charities, including: Refuge who run the National Domestic Abuse helpline; Hourglass, a charity supporting older victims; SignHealth who support victims who are Deaf; […]
Two more join the WSP Solicitors’ team
Gloucestershire law firm, WSP Solicitors has announced the appointments of two new solicitors, Nafeesa Hussain and Destiny Keville, as demand for services continues to rise and the firm sets its sights on sustained growth. WSP Solicitors, which has been present in the county for over 260 years, now employs 64 legal professionals and team members. […]
Legal Aid Agency subject to cyber incident
The Legal Aid Agency (LAA) has confirmed it has been the victim of a cyber attack but has said it could not confirm what, if any, information had been compromised. It has acknowledged it was ‘possible’ payment information relating to legal aid providers may have been accessed. First reported on Sky News, the LAA has […]
Knights surpasses £200m revenue and strengthens South East presence with Birkett Long acquisition
Knights has announced the acquisition of Essex-based law firm Birkett Long, for an initial £10 million. The deal will bring around 90 lawyers and 10 financial advisers to Knights, who will join an existing team of 1,250 in 28 locations. The acquisition, which the firm says will increase revenues to more than £200 million, comes […]
Changes to AML guidance ratified by Treasury
Changes to anti-money laundering guidance submitted to HM Treasury have been formally ratified and published in the latest Legal Sector Affinity Group (LSAG) Anti-Money Laundering Guidance for the Legal Sector 2025. LSAG, which is made up of the AML regulators in the UK including the Council for Licensed Conveyancers (CLC), Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) and […]
Rapist who posed as professional photographer has sentence increased
Anthony Williams (40), from Gloucester, has had his eight-year sentence increased to 12 years by the Court of Appeal after the Solicitor General referred his case under the Unduly Lenient Sentence (ULS) scheme. The court heard that Williams pretended to be a professional photographer, approaching women online and luring them to his makeshift studio at […]
Four years on from the Domestic Abuse Act: Vital gaps remain, warns Women’s Aid Chief
Four years after the landmark Domestic Abuse Act was passed into law, serious concerns remain over the lack of progress in key areas, according to Farah Nazeer, Chief Executive of Women’s Aid. The 2021 legislation, which sought to transform the national response to domestic abuse, introduced wide-ranging reforms spanning housing, health, and the family courts. […]
