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 use of artificial intelligence (AI) in legal practice, outlining critical guidelines to ensure the ethical and professional application of AI tools. This statement highlights the evolving role of AI in…
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 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…
The Malaysian Bar’s ongoing fight against dishonesty in the legal profession
The Malaysian Bar has issued a statement on its ongoing fight against dishonesty in the legal profession. This statement seeks to correct recent comments made by the Director of the Commercial Crime Investigation Department (CCID) of the Royal Malaysia Police, which linked a case leading to a RM4.8 million loss on a fraudulent land transaction…
Problems of Professional Ethics of a Lawyer and Legal Rhetoric
Yusupova, N. S. (2023). Problems of professional ethics of a lawyer and legal rhetoric. Conferencea, 88-93. This article discusses the main problems that hinder the development of the professional ethics of lawyers as one of the fundamental foundations of the legal profession in the Republic of Uzbekistan. A comparative legal analysis of foreign countries in…
Bar Standards Board of England and Wales publishes guidance for barristers in non-professional life, especially the use of social media
The Bar Standards Board (BSB) has approved new guidance, including revised Social Media Guidance and new Guidance on the Regulation of Non-Professional Conduct. The aim is to clarify the regulatory boundaries for barristers’ conduct outside their professional practice, which can impact public confidence in the profession. The BSB Handbook states that barristers must not behave…
The Solicitors Regulation Authority issues a thematic review of the use of Non Disclosure Agreements in workplace complaints
The SRA has released a thematic review that discusses the use of Non Disclosure Agreements (NDAs) in workplace complaints. The review recognizes the legitimate place NDAs have in agreements to protect commercial interests, reputation, and confidentiality. The key findings of the review found that generally most NDAs between employers and employees complied with the requirements…
Ethics and access: Striking the right balance
Mark Neale’s blog discusses the key debate around whether ethical lawyers should avoid certain clients on public interest grounds and whether the regulator should police the profession’s choice of client. It emphasizes that lawyers, especially barristers, are not just there to do their clients’ bidding, right or wrong. Read the full story here.
American Bar Association issues guidance on using legal assistants
The American Bar Association Standing Committee on Ethics and Professional Responsibility has issued a formal opinion that provides guidance for lawyers on how to use legal assistants to perform client intake tasks under ABA Model Rules. The opinion highlights the benefits of using nonlawyer assistants but also warns that without proper policies, training, and supervision,…
The Mentor Chapter Seventeen – For good.
This open letter discusses the need for lawyers to be officers of the court first and foremost before their role as commercial facilitators. Gilbert emphasises the importance of ethical behaviour, and warns against financial incentives which might impede this. He also implores other lawyers to become roles models. Read the full story here.