Solicitor struck off after acting dishonestly in his own divorce proceedings
A senior solicitor has been struck off the Roll of Solicitors following a Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal (SDT) hearing which found he had acted dishonestly in concealing assets during his divorce proceedings and misused his firm’s client account. Matthew Stephen Becker, formerly a partner and Compliance Officer for Legal Practice at Curtis Law LLP, appeared before […]
Legal Aid Agency say the portal could be back online in September
The Legal Aid Agency has said its systems could be back online in September with a brand new system currently being built to replace the compromised system hacked into by criminals in April of this year. In May the Legal Aid Agency said it had been the victim of a cyber attack, but did not […]
MoJ considers interest on client account to fund access to justice
The Ministry of Justice (MoJ) is inviting Legal aid providers to a discussion on using interest on client account to fund access to justice. According to email correspondence firms are invite to roundtable discussions next month to explore ‘innovative approaches’ to funding for legal services. ‘There are significant demand and pressures on the justice system […]
LSB committed to addressing ‘persistent and deeply concerning’ unmet legal need
The Legal Services Board (LSB) has set out the actions it took in 2024/25 to enable legal services for the public, and says it will continue to address ‘the persistent and deeply concerning level of unmet legal need across England and Wales’. In its annual report published this week, the regulator has reviewed its performance […]
Miscarriage of justice victims will no longer have their compensation counted when applying for benefits
Those affected by miscarriages of justice will no longer have their payouts assessed as part of their benefits claims in changes to rules effective this week. All compensation payments paid by the United Kingdom Government and Devolved Governments compensation schemes for miscarriage of justice will be exempt from benefits calculations. The initiative will cover income-based […]
Ombudsman to publish more examples of complaints failings in drive for greater transparency
Efforts to help the legal sector better understand the role of the Legal Ombudsman (LeO) and provide insight into their decisions are to be redoubled under a ‘renewed commitment to using statutory powers to publish final decisions where it is in the public interest to do so.’ The Legal Ombudsman, established in the wake of […]
Maximum compensation limits for miscarriages of justice to increase
The government have confirmed a 30% increase in maximum compensation limits payable under the miscarriage of justice system in England and Wales. Currently the limits are £1 million for 10 or more years imprisonment or £500,000 for up to 10 years. These are to be increased to £1.3 million and £650,000 respectively; an ‘important part […]
Rules around local connection requirements formally amended
People leaving care and domestic abuse survivors are to be given greater access to safe and secure social housing following changes to local connection requirements, enacted as part of the government’s Plan for Change. Previewed last month by Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner, the changes to the rule which came into effect from Friday 11th […]
Northern Ireland consult on no fault divorce legislation
Northern Ireland is consulting on proposals to changes to divorce law which would bring the country more in line with the ‘no fault divorce’ legislation introduced in England and Wales in 2022 under the Divorce, Dissolution and Separation Act 2020. The current law mirrors the previous system in England and Wales, requiring couples to either […]
New statutory instrument for Legal Aid Agency following cyber attack
A new statutory instrument has been rushed through Parliament to deal with the aftermath of the cyber attack at the Legal Aid Agency (LAA). The Criminal and Civil Legal Aid (Amendment) Regulations 2025 were passed last week which will introduce ‘secondary legislation to make temporary operational changes’ said Justice Minister Sarah Sackman MP in a […]
LSB Chief steps down after just 12 months in the role
Super-regulator, The Legal Services Board (LSB), has announced Chief Executive Craig Westwood will leave the organisation after just a year in the role having tendered his resignation citing personal reasons this week. Westwood was appointed in May 2024 and took on the role of Chief Executive having previous been Director of Communications, Policy and Research […]
New SRA chief confirmed to replace departing Philip
The Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) have appointed a new Chief Executive Officer to replace the departing Paul Philip, who leaves after nearly a decade in the role. Philip retires later this year and will be replaced by Sarah Rapson, who currently serves as Executive Director Supervision at the Financial Reporting Council, and has an extensive […]
MPs vote to decriminalise abortion
A majority of MPs voted to decriminalise abortion in the open debate in Parliament this week. A majority of 242 passed an amendment to the Crime and Policing Bill which will ensure women who terminate a pregnancy after 24 weeks or without approval from two doctors will no longer be criminalised. As it stands the […]
Law Society ‘supports SRA’s focus on core responsibilities’ following Axiom Ince review
The Law Society of England and Wales has announced that it supports the Solicitors Regulation Authority’s (SRA) reprioritisation of work and the emphasis placed on investing in its core functions in the 2025-2026 business plan and budget consultation. The SRA’s consultation, launched in May, aims to address the shortcomings highlighted in the independent review of […]
70% of the population denied access to Legal Aid
More than 42 million people in England and Wales, equating to nearly 70% of the population, do not have a community legal aid provider in their area according to research conducted by The Law Society. As part of the launch of its civil legal aid campaign the Law Society will publish a ‘legal aid desert’ […]
Axiom Ince crackdown – SRA directed to take action
The Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) has been directed to take action by the Legal Services Board (LSB) in the wake of the independent review into the failure of Axiom Ince. In response to the report, in which the SRA was criticised for regulatory failings in the run up to the collapse of Axion Ince, it […]
CILEX responds to LSB’s Upholding Professional Ethical Duties consultation
The Chartered Institute of Legal Executives (CILEX) has responded to the Legal Services Board’s (LSB) Upholding Professional Ethical Duties consultation saying it feels annual training on ethics should be mandatory. The consultation, which closed on 29th May, proposed a draft statutory statement of policy setting out the LSB’s expectations of how frontline regulators will improve […]
‘Lawyer’ now legally protected term in Scotland, as Law Society hails ‘major milestone’
A new bill passed by the Scottish Parliament will prevent anyone who isn’t licensed from using the title ‘lawyer’, following a 10-year campaign by the Law Society of Scotland. The Regulation of Legal Services (Scotland) Bill will give the title of ‘lawyer’ the same legal protection as ‘solicitor’, making it an offence for anyone to […]
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 […]