Law Society calls for clear plan to roll out ombudsman’s new complaints model
The Law Society of England and Wales has welcomed the Legal Ombudsman’s (LeO) proposed model complaints resolution procedure (MCRP), but warned the organisation must be clear on how the strategy will be rolled out. Last month, the LeO launched a call for input on its draft MCRP, a new framework aimed at improving the consistency […]
Home secretary launches international coalition to end violence against women and girls
Women and girls will be better protected against violence and abuse thanks to a new international coalition. The International Coalition to End Violence against Women and Girls brings together eight countries that will work together so that women and girls can live free from fear, the home secretary Yvette Cooper (pictured) announced last week. South […]
Family firms share latest successes
Family law firms across the country have been sharing their latest successes, with award wins, milestone anniversaries, promotions and new partners. International Family Law Group managing partner Lucy Loizou (main picture) is celebrating after being named global winner of the prestigious Contribution to Society Award at the CYDIA Awards 2026, and Family Lawyer of the Year […]
Conference to share insight for vital SME law firm market
A conference focused on small and mid-sized law firms is being staged by legal and professional services marketing firm Consortium in October. The Legal Conference 2026 will take place on Thursday 15th October 2026 at the Hilton Birmingham Metropole, bringing together leaders from UK law firms of 10-200 staff for a full day of practical […]
All change at the top for Taylor Rose and NLS
AIIC Group and National Legal Service (NLS) have announced a series of senior leadership changes to support growth plans. AIIC, the legal group behind law firms Taylor Rose, FDR Law and Kingsley Wood, has announced several leadership changes to define clearer separation between group‑level leadership and the leadership of Taylor Rose. Adrian Jaggard has stepped […]
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 […]
Man who ‘terrorised’ lawyers via TikTok issued with injunction
A man who used TikTok videos and emails to harass lawyers in a Family Court case has been issued with an injunction. The videos accused a barrister of “dishonesty and professional misconduct in very bald terms”, Deputy High Court Judge Aidan Eardley KC said in dismissing the attacks and agreeing the interim injunction against David […]
Survey reveals widespread use of unauthorised and open source AI, breaching client confidentiality
A survey has revealed nearly two thirds of fee earners admit to using open source artificial intelligence tools such as ChatGPT, potentially compromising client data and confidentiality. The research by legal software company Access Legal revealed 59% of the 200 UK legal professionals surveyed by Censuswide said they had used unapproved AI applications, like the […]
Private client work the most profitable for SME law firms
Private client law, including wills, probate, tax, trust and estate-related advice is the most profitable area of law for small law firms, alongside litigation and dispute resolution, according to the latest Bellwether Report from LexisNexis. These types of work were cited as the most profitable by 42% of respondents in the Bellwether Report 2026: Lean, […]
Family lawyer ordered to pay over £30,000 for sharing litigant’s address
A family law solicitor who used a private detective to find a litigant’s address and then passed it to his client has been fined £17,500 by the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal and ordered to pay costs of £15,000. The tribunal found that sole practitioner Clive Wood obtained, and passed on, the litigant in person’s contact details […]
New legal careers platform matches job seekers with verified and regulated family law firms
A new legal careers platform promises to offer verified profiles for almost 9000 SRA-regulated firms, with dedicated career pages covering family law. LawBoard, which launched last month, includes a free salary benchmarking tool that gives practitioners an honest view of what professionals in their practice area and region are earning. “For firms competing for experienced […]
Judge releases name and picture of child abducted by father mistakenly released from prison
A judge has taken the unusual step of releasing the name and picture of a child, and of the father who abducted him, after the father was mistakenly freed from prison. Judge Hayden said he hoped publicity would help in returning Ifedayo Adeyeye (pictured left) to custody, despite the privacy element of the European Convention […]
£12.4m to modernise foster care and change the ‘traditional, married relationships’ narrative
The government has announced a £12.4 million investment into fostering through a new Fostering Innovation Fund in a bid to make foster care “more accessible and inclusive across England”. The fund will support the modernisation of the foster care system and enable more flexibility in how care is provided, as the government, acknowledged the increasing […]
Law Society calls for public consultation on use of AI in courts
The Law Society of England and Wales is calling for a public consultation on the use of artificial intelligence in the courts and tribunals service. In its response the Civil Justice Council’s (CJC) consultation on the use of AI in preparing court documents, the Law Society said the “stakes are high when AI is used […]
Court of Appeal sets aside adoption after ‘serious irregularities’ found during evaluation
The Court of Appeal has removed a child from his adoptive parents because they hid facts including that the mother was in a new relationship with a violent criminal accused of child sex offending. In M (A Child: Adoption: Duty of Disclosure) the court heard that, even before an adoption order was made last year, […]