The Scottish Legal Complaints Commission (SLCC) recently published an article in the Scotsman newspaper highlighting the need for Scottish solicitors to be more transparent about their pricing and the overall costs of legal services. The SLSCC referenced recent research by Consumer Scotland which showed that although the price of services is only one consideration in…
Asylum services review highlights general good practice and areas for improvement
The Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) has published a thematic review of 25 legal firms in England and Wales providing asylum services, following up on its 2022 immigration thematic review. The review assessed how these firms handle daily asylum support, supervision, and training, aiming to highlight best practices across the sector. Key findings indicated that most…
LSB annual report shows progress in driving up standards and ensuring regulation increases public trust
The Legal Services Board (LSB) released its Annual Report for the financial year ending March 31, 2024. The report outlines the LSB’s efforts to ensure that legal regulation adapts to serve societal needs more effectively. Key developments in 2023-24 were the LSB’s first assessment of legal regulators against its new performance framework, which revealed the…
Solicitors Regulation Authority gives go-ahead for CILEX change
On July 1, 2024, the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) Board agreed it would potentially regulate Chartered Institute of Legal Executives (CILEX) members, if CILEX decides to redelegate this to the SRA. This follows CILEX’s 2022 proposal to transfer the regulation of its members from its own independent regulatory arm, CILEX Regulation, to the SRA. The…
Solicitors Regulation Authority consults on updates to financial penalty regime
On 28 June, the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) published a 12-week consultation on proposed updates to its financial penalty regime in response to the new powers granted under the Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act 2023. These updates aim to ensure the SRA’s fining approach remains robust, fair, and transparent, especially in light of its…
Law Society of Scotland offers innovative AML training film to its members
The Law Society of Scotland is giving its members access to an innovative anti-money laundering (AML) film-based training tool produced by the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW) and HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC). The tool is designed to enhance solicitors’ awareness of economic crimes, particularly money laundering. The film dramatises examples…
IBA study suggests global economic impact of the legal profession at $1.6 trillion
The International Bar Association (IBA) has recently published work that it commissioned from the professional services consultancy McKinsey, which seeks to quantify the social and economic value of the legal profession. This is quantified at $1.6 trillion, or 1.7% of global GDP. The calculation was arrived at by taking into account both direct economic contributions…
Potential causes of differential outcomes by ethnicity in legal professional assessments
The University of Exeter has published the results of a study commissioned by the Solicitors Regulation Authority of England and Wales, which seeks to explore the reasons behind varying legal qualification outcomes among students of different ethnicities. The research revealed that these differences are likely to stem from a complex interaction of factors including social,…
UK Ministry of Justice reportedly explores interest on client account to support free legal advice
The UK Ministry of Justice (MoJ) is reportedly exploring the potential for requiring interest earned on pooled client accounts to fund legal services for those who cannot afford them. It has commissioned research from independent consultants into the practices of law firms in England and Wales in relation to the handling of interest on client…
Solicitors Regulation Authority updates warning notice Strategic Lawsuits against Public Participation (SLAPPs)
The Solicitors Regulation Authority of England and Wales published an updated warning notice for solicitors about Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation (SLAPPs) at the end of May, following the entry into law of the Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act 2023 and drawing on its own casework. SLAPPs are identified as a misuse of the…