News stories, articles and events that may be of interest to our community of legal regulators.
World Justice Project marks 15 years of advancing the rule of law
Celebrating its 15th anniversary, the World Justice Project (WJP) continues its mission to strengthen the rule of law globally. Since 2009, it has documented the…Launch of the International Bar Association’s 50:50 by 2030 interim report on gender representation in the legal profession
On 3 December 2024, the International Bar Association (IBA), in collaboration with the LexisNexis Rule of Law Foundation, launched its Interim Report on the 50:50…Korean national assembly passes the AI basic act
In December 2024, South Korea’s National Assembly passed the AI Basic Act, introducing a comprehensive regulatory framework for artificial intelligence. South Korea now becomes the…European Court of Justice rules that the German prohibition of investing in a law firm for purely financial purposes is justified by the regulatory objective to ensure the independence of lawyers
In the long-awaited judgement in the case Halmer ./. Rechtsanwaltskammer München (Case C-295/23) delivered on December 19, 2024, the European Court of Justice (ECJ) ruled…Arizona hits new milestone under loosened law firm ownership rules
Reuters has reported that Arizona’s Alternative Business Structures (ABS) programme, which allows non-lawyers to co-own law firms, has reached 101 approved entities as of September…Malaysia’s legal profession act 1976 amendment bill on track to becoming law
On 6 December 2024, the Malaysian Bar issued a press release on the Legal Profession (Amendment) Bill 2024 (“Amendment Bill”). Once enacted, the amendments to…New York will adopt NextGen bar exam, considers shifts in state-law tests
The American Bar Association (ABA) Journal reports that the New York Court of Appeals has announced the adoption of the NextGen bar exam, making New…Consultation on the draft business plan and budget for 2025/26 of the Legal Services Board of England and Wales
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…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…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,…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.…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…