The Victorian Legal Services Board and Commissioner has issued an access to justice policy statement. This policy statement is a statement of intent, articulating the VLSB+Cs role in supporting access to justice. The Policy statement notes the role of the VLSB+Cs as a regulator, funder and investor in access to justice, as well as providing…
New US legal admissions pipeline helps initially rejected applicants to become law students
In the US 22 law schools have developed a new admissions pipeline, ‘LexPostBacc’, specifically for prospective students who were initially rejected during the admissions process. This year-long program offered by these law schools aims to prepare aspiring lawyers, particularly minorities candidates, for the rigors of legal education. Participants must either be from an underrepresented ethnic…
The Solicitors Regulation Authority consults on regulating CILEX members
The Solicitors Regulation Authority has launched a consultation on regulating the Chartered Institute of Legal Executives (CILEX) members. The consultation comes after CILEX proposed re-delegating the regulation of its members from its current regulator, CILEX Regulation, to the SRA last year. The SRA has identified some benefits for consumers that would arise from regulating CILEX…
Law Society of New Zealand Aotearoa accepts in principle proposal for independent regulator
Law Society of New Zealand Aotearoa has accepted in principle the proposal for an independent regulator. This proposal comes from the independent Review Report carried out recently into the future structure of regulation in New Zealand. The primary recommendation from the review was the creation of an independent regulator, as the current structure of regulation…
National Bar Association survey finds black female lawyers in the US continue to experience high rates of discrimination
A National Bar Association (NBA) survey finds black women lawyers continue to experience high rates of discrimination and bias. During 2022, 163 members of the NBA WLD and other Black women’s legal organizations were surveyed. The survey found that 70% of Black women lawyers had experienced or witnessed discrimination and bias in the workplace. The…
The Law Society of Scotland continues work on regulatory regime for Licensed Legal Service Providers
The Law Society of Scotland has provided an update on the status of licensed legal services providers. Traditionally legal practices can only be owned by lawyers holding a practice certificate, these new Legal Service Providers can be owned by non-lawyers, though they still need to be majority (51%) owned by solicitors or members of specified…
The Solicitors Regulation Authority issues a thematic review of the use of Non Disclosure Agreements in workplace complaints
The SRA has released a thematic review that discusses the use of Non Disclosure Agreements (NDAs) in workplace complaints. The review recognizes the legitimate place NDAs have in agreements to protect commercial interests, reputation, and confidentiality. The key findings of the review found that generally most NDAs between employers and employees complied with the requirements…
The Solicitors Regulation Authority has published an anti-money laundering and terrorism financing risk assessment for the legal industry
The Solicitors Regulation Authority has published an anti-money laundering and terrorism financing risk assessment. The report aims to assess the risks associated with money laundering and terrorist financing in different sectors. The report provides an overview of the risks associated with different sectors, including banking, insurance, and securities. It also provides information on the regulatory…
The American Bar Association has published a third draft discussion paper on amendments to lawyers’ client due diligence
The American Bar Association have published a Discussion Draft of possible amendments to the Model Rules of Professional Conduct. The Standing Committees on Ethics and Professional Responsibility and Professional Regulation have developed this draft to address lawyers’ client due diligence obligations. The previous two discussion papers have focused on Model Rule 1.2(d) (Scope of Representation…
IAALS Publishes Report on Regulatory Innovation
The IAALS has published a report: Community & Cooperation: Action Steps toward Unlocking Legal Regulation that summarizes discussions held at a meeting in 2022 on regulatory innovation. The report proposes next steps for regulatory innovation and serves as a resource for those interested in improving the regulatory system. The report covers the following topics: The…