SRA appoints new Executive Director
The Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) has appointed Aileen Armstrong as Executive Director Strategy and Innovation, taking up post in mid-June. She will be responsible for continuing to develop the SRA’s strategic direction and in particular its policy and research work, with a focus on supporting the delivery of innovation and technology in the legal sector. […]
Practice Direction Update No 9 of 2022
This PD Update No.9 of 2022 makes amendments to various existing Practice Directions. Amendments to PD5A: From 16th January 2023, Form E, rather than the current Form E2, should be completed on applications to capitalise a periodical payment order. PD5A, which lists standard Forms, is amended accordingly. Amendments to PD36G: this pilot PD underpins the online system […]
Metamorph: SRA intervenes into two more firms
The Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) has confirmed it is intervening into a further two firms owned by legal consortium Metamorph. Knowles Benning LLP Knight Polson Ltd The two firms are also owned by Metamorph Group Ltd. This is in addition to the four firms previously intervened into: MLL Ltd, BPL Solicitors Ltd, Beaumont ABS Ltd […]
Financial sanctions regime bans trust services to Russia
The Government’s financial sanctions regime now includes a ban on providing trust services to those connected with Russia. The UK regime is operated by the Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation (OFSI). The measures are imposed by the Government to achieve specific foreign policy or national security objectives. There have been a number of changes to […]
Legal Ombudsman cannot afford to lose focus
The Legal Ombudsman service (LeO) has made some strides in improving its performance, but it must not lose focus in tackling its backlog, the Law Society of England and Wales said today. Law Society President Lubna Shuja said: “Reducing the backlog of cases waiting to be investigated must continue to be the priority for LeO. […]
SRA proposes minor amends to its Standards and Regulations in response to feedback
The Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) is consulting on a series of minor amendments to its Standards and Regulations following feedback from stakeholders since the rules were introduced in 2019. The amendments address areas where, once live, the new rules have either had unintended knock-on consequences or feedback from the profession suggests they need changing to […]
LSB plans to force firms to pay compensation to wronged clients pre-complaint
Regulator seeks methods to reduce the backlog of complaints The Legal Services Board (LSB) are discussing plans to force firms who have misled clients to pay compensation, even if they haven’t complained. In a meeting last month, it has been revealed that the regulator is discussing proposals to punish firms who mishandle their clients’ cases […]
SRA encourages firms to publish their ethnicity pay gap data
Call follows publication of SRA’s gender and ethnicity pay gap reports The Solicitors regulation Authority (SRA) is encouraging firms to publish their ethnicity pay gap reports after releasing their latest gender pay gap and ethnicity pay gap data. While publication of the gender pay gap report is a legal requirement for organisations with more than […]
LSB launches consultation on draft business plan for 2023/24
The Legal Services Board (LSB) has today launched a consultation on its draft business plan and budget for 2023/24 to drive forward its ambition to deliver a legal services market that better meets society’s needs. Covering the third year of their Reshaping Legal Services strategy, the plan sets out our planned work for April 2023 […]
SRA-led bid awarded RPF grant to develop tech-enabled dispute resolution
The Solicitors Regulation Authority has been awarded a grant of £119,691 from the latest round of Regulators Pioneer Fund (RPF). The money will fund a project to explore ways to increase the use of technology-enabled dispute resolution to help individuals and businesses resolve legal issues, without the need to go to court. Working with consortium […]
LSB calls for consistent approach to tackling economic crime
The Legal Services Board (LSB) has called for a more consistent approach to tackling economic crime, throwing its support behind the “regulatory objective” proposed in section 155 of the Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Bill. The regulatory objective would underline the importance of the LSB and other legal services regulators using their powers to prevent […]
SRA sets out new approach to financial penalties
Safeguards proposed by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) to increase the transparency and accountability of its enforcement processes do not go far enough, the Law Society of England and Wales have said. Lubna Shuja, President of the Law Society, said: “The SRA’s internal fining powers increased from £2,000 to £25,000 in July this year for […]
Consultation opens on Interim Supervision Order Report
The Public Law Working Group (PLWG) has released the Interim Supervision Order Report for consultation from 1st-30th November. The PLWG is consulting on proposals to law, policy, and practice in relation to supervision orders made at the conclusion of care proceedings to support the child to live with a parent(s). Their consultation invites responses from […]
HMCTS states digital portal for financial remedy services “could become compulsory by New Year”
Family Lawyers have been told they may be required to submit financial remedy applications through HM Courts and Tribunals Service’s (HMCTS) digital portal in the New Year. Isabel Syred, HMCTS manager, said this week during a webinar on financial remedy applications that the portal, which will be accessible next month, will allow practitioners to make […]
Webinar: Submitting applications for contested financial remedy on MyHMCTS
MyHMCTS is our online case management system that allows legal professionals submit and pay for applications. Legal professionals can manage and track the progress of applications, ensuring that clients can be kept up to date in real time. These drop-in sessions will show attendees: – how to submit an application – how the service has […]
HMCTS figures show limited take-up of no fault divorce
Few couples are using joint divorce applications as part of a government scheme to avoid “unnecessary finger-pointing” Government figures show that few couples are using a new provision entitling those seeking a divorce to avoid blaming one another for the breakdown of the marriage. Measures were brought in under the Divorce, Dissolution and Separation Act […]
HMCTS issues FPL portal guidance on issuing child assessment orders
Local Authorities will be able to commence proceedings with a child assessment application within the digital service, there will no longer be a requirement for these to be sent and issued at the local court. For the full guidance with images to show the step-by-step process, click here. Guidance on how to issue a child […]
MyHMCTS operational update – applying for financial remedy applications
HM Courts & Tribunals Service operational update, Monday 1st August 2022 Updated: applying for financial remedy applications on MyHMCTS has recently been improved. Legal professionals can now add themselves and replace existing representatives whenever necessary, making it easier to cover periods of annual leave. Improvements have also been made to the way documents are managed […]
HMCTS webinar – Video Hearings service demonstration
The Video Hearings service is HMCTS video hearings solution, which has been developed as part of the Reform Programme. It allows people to participate in a hearing using a computer, tablet or smartphone and is specially designed to replicate the experience and formality of a hearing in a court or tribunal building. This practical webinar […]
MyHMCTS: responding to a family public law order application
HM Courts & Tribunals Service (HMCTS) has published a guide for respondent legal representatives using family public law services with MyHMCTS. Use the MyHMCTS service to respond to a family public law application for: care orders and interim care orders supervision orders and interim supervision orders emergency protection orders other orders under Part 4 of […]