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, […]
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. […]
Fladgate hires leading Private Client Tax Partner Emily Osborne
Fladgate LLP has announced the appointment of Emily Osborne as a Partner in its Private Client team, effective 1st May 2025. Emily joins from a leading firm where she led the Family Office practice. With over 20 years of experience Emily is renowned for her expertise in international tax and private wealth advisory, providing strategic […]
Standish v Standish hearing continues in Supreme Court
As of yesterday, 30th April 2025, the UK Supreme Court is hearing the high-profile divorce case of Standish v Standish. The hearing is scheduled to continue into 1st May 2025. No updates or judgments have been released yet, as the proceedings are still ongoing. A judgment is anticipated later this year. The decision could set […]
Few trust AI to handle divorces, survey reveals
While people are increasingly open to letting artificial intelligence handle simple legal paperwork, very few would trust AI with deeply personal matters like divorce, according to a new survey. Commissioned by legal intelligence platform Robin AI, the study of over 4,100 people across the US and UK found that only 17% would be comfortable using […]
Ministry of Justice responds to Victims’ Commissioner report on Crown Court backlog
The Ministry of Justice (MoJ) has formally responded to the Victims’ Commissioner’s damning report, Justice Delayed, which highlights the impact of the Crown Court backlog on victims, victim services, and the wider criminal justice system. In a letter published on 25th April 2025, Alex Davies-Jones MP, Minister for Victims and Violence Against Women and Girls, […]
Greater protection for domestic abuse victims in North Wales
Survivors of domestic abuse across North Wales will be better protected due to the further expansion of Domestic Abuse Protection Orders. Victims in North Wales – as well as their friends, families or support workers – can apply for Domestic Abuse Protection Orders (DAPO) in the family court at Caernarfon, Prestatyn or Wrexham. Police can […]
Women’s Aid welcomes police vetting reforms but calls for urgent, whole-system change
Women’s Aid has welcomed new vetting reforms announced by the Home Office but warned that they fall short of the full systemic transformation needed to ensure safety and justice for survivors of domestic abuse. The reforms aim to strengthen police vetting procedures and give forces more power to dismiss officers whose behaviour renders them unfit […]