The Legal Services Regulatory Authority (LSRA) of Ireland has published a report proposing significant reforms to enhance competition, efficiency, and transparency in conveyancing services. The reforms focus on three main areas: digitalising the conveyancing system, introducing enhanced transparency requirements for solicitors regarding costs, and increasing consumer awareness to facilitate informed decision-making. The LSRA advocates for…
Making sense of professional enablers’ involvement in laundering organized crime proceeds and of their regulation
Money laundering has ascended the enforcement and criminological agenda in the course of this century, and has been accompanied by an increased focus on legal professionals as ‘enablers’ of crime. This article explores the dynamics of this enforcement, media and political agenda, and how the legal profession has responded in the UK and elsewhere, within…
Making sense of professional enablers’ involvement in laundering organized crime proceeds and of their regulation
Money laundering has ascended the enforcement and criminological agenda in the course of this century, and has been accompanied by an increased focus on legal professionals as ‘enablers’ of crime. This article explores the dynamics of this enforcement, media and political agenda, and how the legal profession has responded in the UK and elsewhere, within…
LawCare, a mental health charity for the UK legal sector, has issued advice to employers to combat loneliness
LawCare has issued advice to the beginning of mental health week in Scotland. This year mental health week was focused on combating loneliness. LawCare has encouraged individuals and employers to: Reach out to a colleague an informal chat about how things are going; Share experiences about the challenges they have faced working in the law…
Legal-aid bill assessment shake up in the UK paused by Ministry of Justice
The Ministry of Justice in the United Kingdom has shelved plans to stop legal-aid bills from being court assessed and bring them inhouse. Under the current system legal-aid practitioners can choose to have bills between £2,500 and £25,000 assessed by the courts or the Legal Aid Agency. Under the new scheme the Ministry of Justice wanted…
Updated UK national risk assessment of money laundering and terrorist financing
The UK Treasury has published an updated UK National Risk Assessment of Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing. This follows the previous update from October 2017 and sets out the key money laundering and terrorist financing risks for the UK, and how these have developed since the first publication in 2015. Specifically, chapter 10 documents the…
LSB launches consultation on ongoing professional competence in the legal services sector
The Legal Services Board has launched a consultation on “ongoing professional competence in the legal services sector”. The aim of the consultation is to review how regulators ensure that the legal professionals they regulate remain competent over the course of their careers. LSB Chief Executive Matthew Hill said: ‘Ensuring legal professionals remain competent throughout their careers will…
SRA launches consultation on compensation fund changes
The Solicitors Regulation Authority has launched a consultation on “reforms to the compensation fund arrangements”. The consultation builds on the conclusions of the past consultation on compensation, covered here in 2018. Changes have been made based on the feedback given, including introducing a maximum cap on related claims and dropping proposals for the introduction of…
Event: BSB- The Future of Legal Services – Regulation of the Market, Consumer Protection and Technological Innovation
25th February 2020 Bar Standards Board (BSB) Director of Strategy and Policy Ewen MacLeod will be hosting a panel to discuss ‘Regulation in the legal services market – structures, roles and independence’. The seminar will focus on the upcoming publication of Stephen Mayson’s Independent Review of Legal Services Regulation. Speakers will look at the conclusions of…
BSB publishes research into barristers’ attitudes to CPD revisions
The Bar Standards Board (BSB) has published a report on the impact of their revised approach to regulating barristers’ Continuing Professional Development. The report found that the general attitude towards the scheme amongst barristers was positive, with many welcoming the improved flexibility of the rules, however the report also suggested that there was some misunderstanding…