The Wealth Management Institute (WMI) and the Law Society of Singapore have launched a major multi-year training initiative to equip Singapore’s 6,500 practising lawyers with specialised skills in family office advisory. The partnership, formalised on 26 September 2025, responds to the rapidly expanding family office landscape in Singapore and the rising demand for sophisticated legal…
The accredited legal technologist specialisation relaunched in Scotland
The Law Society of Scotland has announced the relaunch of its Accredited Legal Technologist specialisation, a designation first introduced in 2019 to recognise professionals with significant expertise at the intersection of law and technology. With the rapid evolution of digital tools and legal innovation, the updated accreditation aims to better reflect the growing diversity of…
New scheme to help smaller firms bridge the technology gap
The Law Society of Scotland has introduced a new initiative aimed at supporting smaller law firms in adopting practical and cost-effective technology solutions. The scheme, known as the LawscotTech Bridge Builder, was launched on 20 November 2025 and developed in collaboration with Hey Legal founder, Ally Thomson. It follows a recent Law Society survey highlighting…
Malaysian bar opposes executive interference in legal education reforms
On 17 November 2025, the Government tabled the Legal Profession (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2025 (“November Bill”) in the Dewan Rakyat, seeking significant changes to the Legal Profession Act 1976, particularly concerning the Legal Profession Qualifying Board (LPQB). Since its establishment, the LPQB has consisted of five members: the Attorney General as Chair, two judges…
Gender equality of the future of the profession
The Law Society of New Zealand has launched a national engagement initiative to explore how the legal profession can better reflect the communities it serves, with a particular focus on advancing gender equality. The initiative begins with panel discussions in Wellington on 25 November and in Auckland on 3 December, bringing together a diverse group…
Legal Services Board publishes plans to tackle barriers to a more diverse legal services profession
The Legal Services Board (LSB) has released a set of new proposals aimed at addressing persistent barriers to equality, diversity and inclusion within the legal services profession. Despite incremental progress, the sector continues to fall short of reflecting the diversity of the communities it serves. Women, minoritised ethnic groups and disabled individuals remain significantly underrepresented,…
Solicitors Regulation Authority warns of rising risks in high-volume consumer claims
The Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) has issued a comprehensive update highlighting growing concerns about the way high-volume consumer claims are being handled in the legal sector. While this model can provide an accessible route for consumers to enforce their rights, the regulator warns that poor practices by some law firms and claims management companies (CMCs)…
CARICOM lawyers ‘must meet Barbados Bar requirements’
The Barbados Bar Association has reiterated that attorneys seeking to practise in Barbados under the new CARICOM cross-border mobility initiative must continue to meet all statutory admission and registration requirements. The clarification follows the launch of the initiative on Wednesday, which grants citizens of Barbados, Dominica, St Vincent and the Grenadines, and Belize the right…
Business and human rights: Southeast Asia steps up legislative efforts on corporate due diligence
The International Bar Association (IBA) has written that Southeast Asian countries are increasingly shifting from voluntary guidelines to binding legislation to compel corporations to respect human rights and the environment. The article, published on 9 October 2025, highlights a regional move toward mandatory corporate human rights and environmental due diligence, driven by persistent abuses linked…
Confronting systemic barriers: the push for true equity in the United Kingdom legal profession
The Guardian newspaper published an article on 12 October 2025 highlighting the continued underrepresentation of Black talent in the legal profession in the United Kingdom and the resistance faced when initiatives aimed at improving diversity are introduced. Pauline Campbell, Chair of the Race Equality Network, argues that the legal industry must stop acting as if…