News stories, articles and events that may be of interest to our community of legal regulators.
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…Legislation to strengthen Australia’s anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism financing regime has passed parliament
Australia has strengthened its anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism financing (AML/CTF) regime with the passage of the AML/CTF Amendment Bill 2024 through Parliament. This legislation is…Enhanced productivity for law firms in Singapore with the integration of microsoft copilot into the legal technology platform
On 11 September 2024, the Ministry of Law (MinLaw) in Singapore, in collaboration with technology providers Lupl and Microsoft, has launched the ‘Copilot for SG…Victorian Legal Services Board and Commissioner statement on the use of AI in Australian legal practice
The Victorian Legal Services Board and Commissioner (VLSBC), alongside other legal bodies in Australia, has issued a new statement on 6 December 2024 on the…