Risk-based regulation remains central to legal sector oversight, providing a framework for identifying potential harms, assessing their likelihood and impact, and directing regulatory attention accordingly. In established areas of concern, this model can be highly effective, particularly where regulators are able to draw on complaints data, supervisory engagement and enforcement experience to identify recurring patterns of risk. Its limits become more apparent, however, where…
Private equity-backed English firms enter Scottish market ahead of ABS reform
English firms backed by private equity are entering the Scottish legal market in anticipation of alternative business structure (ABS) reform. Although a limited form of ABS was permitted by the Legal Services (Scotland) Act 2010, the regulatory regime was never implemented. The Regulation of Legal Services (Scotland) Act 2025 represented a further liberalisation in law firm business structures, removing the requirement for majority lawyer ownership but implementation of this…
SRA ten-year diversity data shows progress but persistent gaps remain
The Solicitors Regulation Authority has published ten years of law firm diversity data for England and Wales, offering a longer-term picture of how representation across the profession has changed since 2015. The figures show progress in several areas, with the proportion of women in the profession rising from 48% to 55% over the period, and…
Ireland to host new international arbitration hub
Ireland has been selected to host a new international arbitration hub, ICDR Ireland, as part of a wider effort to strengthen its position in cross-border dispute resolution. Announced by the Irish government together with the American Arbitration Association-International Centre for Dispute Resolution, the hub will handle international commercial arbitration matters across Europe, the Middle East…
Legal Services Board publishes interim findings on litigation guidance
The Legal Services Board of England and Wales has published interim findings from its review of how frontline regulators provide guidance on the scope of litigation activities, following the High Court’s decision in Mazur v Charles Russell Speechlys. The Mazur judgment highlighted uncertainty around what constitutes the “conduct of litigation” under the Legal Services Act…
New Zealand winds up Solicitors’ Fidelity Guarantee Fund following compensation reform
The New Zealand Law Society has reported on the formal winding up of the Solicitors’ Fidelity Guarantee Fund following legislative reforms that replaced it with the broader Lawyers’ Fidelity Fund. The change arises from the enactment of a new regulatory framework extending compensation coverage beyond solicitors to include conveyancers and other regulated legal service providers….
BRAK Guidance on new EU-AML Obligations for Lawyers and Bar Associations
The German Federal Bar (BRAK) has published an explanatory note on the increased AML obligations for lawyers under the new EU Anti-Money Laundering Regulation (EU 2024/1624). As the Regulation will be directly applicable from 10 July 2027, BRAK advises strongly that law firms subject to AML rules should start preparing now, to ensure that the new structures and processes are in…
Australia engages legal profession ahead of expanded AML/CTF obligations
Australian regulators and professional bodies have increased engagement with the legal profession ahead of the introduction of expanded anti-money-laundering and counter-terrorism-financing (AML/CTF) obligations for lawyers. Their recent briefings to lawyers have focused on the practical implications of bringing legal services more fully within the scope of financial crime regulation, including new requirements for client due-diligence,…
Law Society of England and Wales calls for guidance rather than new AI regulation
The Law Society of England and Wales has urged government to clarify how AI may be used in legal services under existing regulations. In January 2026 response to a Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) consultation on AI, the Society said its current regulatory framework already “supports progress” in AI innovation and called for…
Law Society of Ontario in Canada opens new mobility pathway under Ontario Labour Mobility Act
Ontario’s law regulator has launched a new pathway to let Canadian‑licensed lawyers work temporarily in Ontario. Under amendments to the Labour Mobility Act, effective 1 January 2026, the Law Society of Ontario will accept “As of Right” mobility applications. Lawyers licensed in another Canadian jurisdiction can practise in Ontario for up to six months after…