£4 million fine for ‘serious and intentional’ misuse of client funds
The owner and manager of former London-based law firm Kingly Solicitors has been fined over £4 million for ‘serious’ and ‘intentional’ misconduct in the largest penalty the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) has ever issued. Nurul Miah, who is not a solicitor, was ordered to pay a financial penalty of £3,984,440, costs of £41,670 and banned […]
Formal recognition for paralegals under Royal Charter amendment
Paralegals will receive formal recognition under amendments to CILEX’s Royal Charter which bestows the title of CILEX Chartered Paralegal to professionals who can demonstrate they have worked in a legal role for over five years and show extensive legal knowledge and competence across key duties and behaviours. It provides career paralegals with a formal status […]
Victims and Courts Bill introduced into Parliament
The newly introduced Victims and Courts Bill will ‘help victims get the justice they deserve’ say the government introducing a string of new measures including an express statutory power for judges to order offenders to attend their sentencing hearings and restricting parental responsibility for child sex offenders. The headline element of the bill, introduced into […]
New judicial protocol launched for cross-border cases where clients lack capacity
Greater cross-border collaboration and communication in cases involving adults who lack capacity has been formalised between the relevant judiciary with the publishing of a new protocol. Signed representatives from Scotland (Paul Cullen The Rt Hon Lord Pentland, Lord President of the Court of Session), England and Wales (Rt Hon Sir Andrew McFarlane, President of the […]
Supreme Court rules ‘woman’ in Equality Act refers to biological sex in landmark judgment
In a landmark ruling, the UK Supreme Court has ruled that the terms “woman” and “sex” in the 2010 Equality Act refer strictly to biological sex. The judgment, delivered by Lord Hodge, represents a legal development with broad implications for how sex and gender are interpreted in UK law. It follows a long-running legal challenge […]
Legal Ombudsman plans £20m overhaul to cut backlog and boost legal sector standards
The Legal Ombudsman (LeO) is set to undergo a transformation in 2025/26, due to a proposed £20 million budget – a significant 11.4% increase from the previous year. The move is part of a new phase in LeO’s three-year strategy to tackle persistent demand, improve service delivery, and raise standards across the legal profession in […]
New regulatory proposals to strengthen lawyers’ ethical standards
New regulatory measures to strengthen ethical standards in the legal sector have been proposed today, to initiate a significant shift in how lawyers’ ethics are taught, overseen and supported in workplaces. The Legal Services Board (LSB) is seeking views on how regulators support lawyers to fully understand and uphold their ethical duties throughout their careers. […]
Board gives go-ahead for CILEX change
The Board of the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) has agreed it would regulate Chartered Institute of Legal Executives (CILEX) members, if CILEX decides to redelegate this to the SRA. CILEX approached the SRA about this potential change in 2022. Last year, the SRA consulted on the arrangements it would introduce for the regulation of authorised CILEX members. Following a […]
LSB publishes independent review of the SRA’s regulation of SSB Group Limited
The LSB write with regard to the LSB’s review of the SRA’s regulation of SSB Group Limited. They have engaged an independent firm of solicitors, Carson McDowell LLP, to carry out an independent review on our behalf. They have set out below the scope of the review. Please note that the scope of the review […]
SRA ‘should withdraw’ proposals to regulate CILEX members
The Law Society of England and Wales has expressed concern at the Solicitors Regulation Authority’s (SRA) continued pursuit of regulating authorised and non-authorised members of the Chartered Institute of Legal Executives (CILEX). The SRA’s consultation into proposals to regulate non-authorised members of CILEX lacks clear, evidence-based reasons as to the impact of these proposals on […]
CILEx Regulation raise concerns in SRA consultation response
CILEx Regulation has submitted its response to the Solicitors Regulation Authority’s current consultation launched on 20 March 2024 which sets out their proposals for the regulation of non-authorised CILEX members, including CILEX students, affiliates and paralegals. CRL remains concerned that the wider question of the lawfulness and legitimacy of CILEX’s proposals to redelegate regulatory […]
LSB issues guidance to regulators to spur innovation and widen access to legal services
The Legal Services Board (LSB) has issued guidance to regulators, pushing them to be proactive in creating an environment that encourages lawyers and law firms to innovate to help better connect people to legal services. Produced following an extensive period of research, consultation and stakeholder engagement, the statutory guidance sets three outcomes. Regulators should ensure […]
LSB to review SRA regulatory actions in the lead-up to the collapse of SSB Group
The Legal Services Board (LSB) has announced an independent review of the Solicitors Regulation Authority’s (SRA) regulatory actions in the lead-up to the collapse of SSB Group. The LSB will add this review to the scope of its current review into regulatory events prior to SRA’s intervention into Axiom Ince (announced in December 2023). The […]
LSB publishes plans to strengthen regulatory oversight in the public interest
The Legal Services Board (LSB) has published plans for 2024/25 on how it will ensure regulation contributes fully to delivering legal services that better meet the needs of society. The business plan is focused on the regulatory objectives in the Legal Services Act, which the LSB and regulators have a statutory duty to promote. The […]
Legal Services Board confirms interim leadership arrangements
The Legal Services Board has confirmed its interim leadership arrangements while its Board recruits a new Chief Executive Officer (CEO). This follows Matthew Hill’s resignation from the role in January 2024, ahead of his departure at the end of March. The existing three directors will share leadership responsibilities, while continuing in their current roles. Richard […]
SRA consults on potential regulation of CILEX students and paralegals
The SRA have launched a consultation on rule changes needed to allow the potential regulation of non-authorised Chartered Institute of Legal Executives (CILEX) members. The suggested arrangements explain the rules that would apply to CILEX paralegals and students should CILEX’s proposal to re-delegate regulation to us go ahead. CILEX published a consultation on its re-delegation proposals […]
Legal Services Board announces new Consumer Panel Chair
The Legal Services Board today announces the appointment of Tom Hayhoe as the new Chair of the Legal Services Consumer Panel from 1st May 2024. Tom succeeds Sarah Chambers, whose term of office ends on 31st April 2024. Sarah has served two three-year terms as Chair since 1 May 2018. Alan Kershaw, Chair of the […]
Evidence NDAs restrict access to justice, says LSB
Evidence NDAs used to cover up illegal conduct, promote imbalances of power and restrict access to justice published by the Legal Services Board. The Legal Services Board has published this morning a summary report of evidence on the use and misuse of non-disclosure agreements (NDAs), based on the experience of those who responded to a […]
Legal regulators must do more on transparency and harm prevention, says LSB
The Legal Services Board (LSB) has published its latest assessment of the performance of the eight legal services regulators. The LSB is the independent body responsible for overseeing the regulation of legal services in England and Wales. In it’s assessment, which covers the period October 2022 to May 2023, the LSB has reviewed the regulators’ […]
LSB announces new appointment to the Office for Legal Complaints
The Legal Services Board (LSB) has announced today the appointment of Georgina Philippou as a new lay member of the Office for Legal Complaints (OLC). The OLC is the Board of the Legal Ombudsman, and this appointment has been made by the LSB in accordance with the Legal Services Act 2007. Georgina has had a […]