The Legal Services Board (LSB) of England and Wales has proposed a new draft business plan for 2025/26, aiming to address systemic challenges in the legal sector and advance its ten-year strategy for delivering fairer outcomes, stronger confidence, and better services. This plan builds on previous initiatives while targeting new priorities to enhance regulation and…
Annual report of the Victorian Legal Services Board and Commissioner
In its annual report, published on 28 October, the Victorian Legal Services Board and Commissioner (VLSB+C) set out the results of its work on legal practice within the legal profession. has placed a strong focus on enhancing the experiences of both lawyers and consumers, marking a significant step forward in improving the quality and accessibility…
Phase 2 of the national study on wellness in the Canadian legal profession is released
The second phase of the national study on wellness in the Canadian legal profession, released in October 2024, provides critical insights into the mental, physical, and emotional challenges faced by legal professionals across Canada. Building on the 2022 findings from Phase I, this phase delves deeper into regional contexts, offering 12 distinct reports for law…
Dedicated guidance issued to support in-house solicitors in England and Wales
On 18 November 2024, the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) released comprehensive guidance tailored to support the over 34,500 in-house solicitors working across England and Wales. This initiative, developed in response to stakeholder feedback and issues highlighted in the SRA’s 2023 thematic review, aims to address the unique challenges faced by in-house lawyers across diverse sectors…
Special bulletin on the use of the legal profession in money laundering and sanctions evasion in Canada
The Financial Transactions and Reports Analysis Centre of Canada (FINTRAC) has issued a Special Bulletin in October 2024 highlighting the role of the legal profession in facilitating money laundering, terrorist financing, and sanctions evasion. While most legal professionals conduct legitimate transactions, their specialized knowledge and services, such as managing trust accounts, facilitating real estate transactions,…
Legislation to strengthen Australia’s anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism financing regime has passed parliament
Australia has strengthened its anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism financing (AML/CTF) regime with the passage of the AML/CTF Amendment Bill 2024 through Parliament. This legislation is intended to modernise Australia’s fight against financial crimes. Key features of the legislation Expansion of AML/CTF coverage: High-risk services provided by, amongst others, lawyers, accountants, trust and company service providers…
Enhanced productivity for law firms in Singapore with the integration of microsoft copilot into the legal technology platform
On 11 September 2024, the Ministry of Law (MinLaw) in Singapore, in collaboration with technology providers Lupl and Microsoft, has launched the ‘Copilot for SG Law Firms’ module, integrating Microsoft 365 Copilot into the Legal Technology Platform (LTP)[1]. This innovation positions the Ministry of Law’s LTP as one of the first sector-specific legal technology solutions…
Victorian Legal Services Board and Commissioner statement on the use of AI in Australian legal practice
The Victorian Legal Services Board and Commissioner (VLSBC), alongside other legal bodies in Australia, has issued a new statement on 6 December 2024 on the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in legal practice, outlining critical guidelines to ensure the ethical and professional application of AI tools. This statement highlights the evolving role of AI in…
ICLR 2024 conference in-depth report – part 2
This second of two special editions of ICLR news reports on some of the breakout sessions that took place at this year’s ICLR conference held in Melbourne between 16-18 October. We also round up some of the other news and events that might be of interest to the ICLR community. No sooner has the 2024…
ICLR 2024 conference in-depth report – part 1
This first of two special editions of ICLR news provides an in-depth report of the recent ICLR 2024 conference, together with a round-up of some related regulatory developments taking place in October. This year’s ICLR conference was expertly hosted by the Victorian Legal Services Board and Commissioner (VLSB+C) in Melbourne between the 16-18 October, and…