The new manual outlines tools to help lawyers and law firms comply with the obligations set out in the Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing Prevention Act (Wwft). These include which lawyers are (not) subject to the Wwft, what services are subject to the Wwft and which fall under the so-called process exemption, what the customer…
The Law Society of New South Wales proposes new rules to modernise Law Society governance for the future
The Law society of New South Wales has proposed new rules to modernise the Law Society governance to help the body modernise. Guided by a recent membership online survey and advice from corporate governance experts Cameron Ralph Khoury, the Council identified four key areas to improve its effectiveness and agility in representing the profession. The…
The Legal Services Board of England and Wales consulted on experiences of diversity and inclusion in the legal profession
The LSB conducted qualitative research into legal professionals’ lived experiences of counter-inclusive practices. This is with the aim of informing future LSB research and policy activity on equality, diversity and inclusion. The research will also be shared amongst other regulators and professional bodies to better understand the barriers people face during their careers and to…
Solicitors Regulation Authority opens consultation on new indemnity scheme
The SRA is consulting on the arrangements and rules of an indemnity scheme that they run to provide future consumer protection for post six-year negligence. This follows a decision by the Board in September that an SRA-run indemnity scheme offered the most cost-effective and proportionate solution to providing appropriate consumer protection for post six-year claims….
German Regulator brings in Federal Lawyers’ Act (BRAO) reform
The BRAO reform came into effect on August 1st and will alter more laws than just the Federal Lawyers’ Act. The new BRAO no longer primarily focuses on the individual professional, but assumes that the professional training company is the central organizational form. these central organisations must take our organisational insurance. This means that the…
The Law Society of Ontario opens its paralegal insurance portlet
The Law Society of Ontario has launched a new insurance portal for paralegals, the new portlet is now live. Licensees can access the portlet through their portal account. This new online self-serve tool allows paralegals to review and update their insurance information quickly and easily, identify as “exempt” under By-Law 6 or indicate that they work under the…
American Bar Association Consultation on removing standardised entry requirements for law schools closes
The comment period for a proposal to do away with the American Bar Association’s standardized admissions test requirement for law schools closed Sept. 1 with more than 100 comments posted, laying bare the divisiveness of the issue. The topic appears to have garnered the most feedback of any issue posted to the ABA website’s Notice and Comment section since…
The Bar Standards Board of England and Wales releases reports on diversity and equality in training
The Bar Standards Board (BSB) has today published two new research reports, the first looking at Bar training providers’ approaches to equality and diversity and the second examining students’ experiences of these approaches. The reports form part of the Board’s commitment to ensuring that access to training for the Bar is open to all on…
Solicitors Regulation Authority of England and Wales publishes first ever Solicitors Qualification Exam 2 results
The first SQE2 assessment results have been released, with 77 per cent of candidates passing the assessment. The exam was taken in April by 726 candidates in 24 countries. Candidates were only allowed to take the SQE2 assessments if they had passed SQE1 or had otherwise demonstrated that they had appropriate legal knowledge. The 53…
High court of Kenya rules in favour of watch dog to stop price fixing
Lawyers have been dealt a blow after the High Court dismissed a petition seeking to quash a section of the law that prevents them from fixing prices without seeking approval from the competition watchdog. High Court judge Hedwig Ong’udi backed the law that requires professional bodies like the Law Society of Kenya (LSK) to get…