The Law Society of Ontario has announced that it will use its statutory summary revocation power in late 2026 for licences that have remained indefinitely suspended under an order of the Hearing Division. The measure applies where the suspension followed a finding of professional misconduct or a failure to comply with a Hearing Division order…
SRA warns solicitors on safe and responsible use of AI
The Solicitors Regulation Authority has published a warning notice on the safe and responsible use of artificial intelligence as the technology becomes more common in legal research, drafting, document review and administrative work. The SRA recognises the potential for AI to improve efficiency and consumer services, but says its use does not change the standards…
South Africa restores in-person supervision for candidate attorneys
South Africa’s Legal Practice Council has issued a directive confirming the application of rule 22.1.3.1 to practical vocational training contracts and withdrawing the administrative notice on remote working issued in November 2022. With effect from 3 August 2026, every candidate attorney must serve in the office of the principal under the direct personal supervision of…
New Mexico Supreme Court approves skills-based route to lawyer licensing
The New Mexico Supreme Court has approved a skills-based examination as an optional alternative to the traditional written bar examination. Under the new route, an eligible graduate of an accredited law school will receive conditional authority to practise, complete 675 hours of supervised legal work within one year and undergo midpoint and final reviews. The…
France clarifies confidentiality frameworks for legal advice and correspondence
France has introduced new confidentiality protections for certain legal consultations prepared by in-house counsel. The framework creates a limited confidentiality regime for internal legal advice, subject to specific conditions and limitations, including requirements relating to the nature of the advice, the status of the author and the proceedings in which confidentiality may be relied upon. …
Victorian Legal Services Board research highlights incivility and wellbeing risks in legal workplaces
The Victorian Legal Services Board and Commissioner’s Legal Services Research Centre draw on the first annual Victorian Lawyer Census to examine uncivil behaviours in legal workplaces. The research defines uncivil behaviours as demeaning verbal and non-verbal conduct, including ignoring colleagues’ contributions, speaking over colleagues, disparagement, snide remarks, professional discrediting, sarcasm and ostracism. The report found…
Victorian Legal Services Board and Commissioner set minimum cybersecurity expectations for law practices
The Victorian Legal Services Board and Commissioner (VLSB+C) has set out minimum cybersecurity expectations to help law practices protect client data and meet legal and ethical obligations. The guidance is directed at law practice principals and distinguishes between system controls, which are technical safeguards for information systems, and behavioural controls, which reduce risks arising from…
Law Society of Ontario strengthens response to high-risk misconduct
The Law Society of Ontario says it is continuing to strengthen its regulatory response to high-risk misconduct, including sexual misconduct and financial misconduct. On financial misconduct, the Law Society states that, from 1 May 2026, lawyers and paralegals who have a trust account, or who have authority over a firm trust account, must provide authorisation…
State Bar of California updates practical guidance on generative AI
The State Bar of California says its Board of Trustees approved updated revisions to the Practical Guidance for the Use of Generative Artificial Intelligence in the Practice of Law on 14 May 2026. The guidance was originally published in November 2023 and was developed by the Committee on Professional Responsibility and Conduct to assist lawyers…
Legal Services Board sets new expectations to strengthen lawyers’ ethical standards
The Legal Services Board has set out new expectations for legal services regulators in England and Wales aimed at strengthening lawyers’ ethical standards and reinforcing their role in upholding the rule of law. The LSB says regulators must place professional ethical duties at the heart of how lawyers are expected to behave, and has confirmed…