Listed survivor more than doubles borrowing to fuel expansion
Professional services firm says extra borrowing provides additional headroom and flexibility.
Society consults on small PC fee increase
Chancery Lane accounts for under 30% of the annual levy, which was unchanged this year at £307.
School's out for Gina
We must bid adieu to the True and Fair party, the political vehicle founded by Gina Miller.
'We need to be hungrier': SFO boss Nick Ephgrave on his 2025-26 agenda
As Nick Ephgrave publishes his first annual business plan after a full year in the role, the SFO chief tells the Gazette that he wants to deploy his policing expertise to make investigations bolder, speedier and more aggressive.
Over half of new partners are women at Eversheds, Taylor Wessing and Leigh Day
Prominent firms announce partner promotions across UK and Europe and Asia.
City watchdog probes power of attorney
Financial Conduct Authority tells banks and building societies to improve 'customer journeys', as some attorneys get lost in the system.
A&O among four more firms to cut $125m Trump deals
President says firms have committed to 'merit-based hiring' and will refrain from 'illegal DEI discrimination'.
In depth: Justice minister admits county court has not recovered from pandemic
Sarah Sackman KC has admitted to MPs that the county court has not recovered from the trauma of the pandemic. Successes such as digitisation of claims are ‘nowhere near enough’.
Pointing the finger
With lawyers’ ethics under increasing scrutiny, the profession’s regulators have come out fighting, issuing a raft of reviews and reports. But deeper cultural change may also be needed, reports Joanna Goodman.
Law firm team manager hid lack of complaint progress
Head of new client unit fabricated notes from calls with complainant.
Judge slams lack of judicial diversity progress in family courts
Her Honour Judge Khatun Sapnara says there are plenty of black, Asian and minority ethnic lawyers with the requisite merit.
Social justice champion calls time on near 50-year career
Patrick Allen qualified in 1977 and set up London firm Hodge Jones & Allen from a Euston squat.
Private equity-backed firm makes new acquisition
Owner organisation Lawfront says deal is sign of commitment to investment.
Mother argues judge 'wrong' to allow overnight stays following rape findings
Fresh allegations are ‘plainly relevant to the child’s welfare in any risk assessment’, says counsel for mother.
Top sports firm accused of copying opponent’s budget
‘Deliberately inflated’ budget filed half an hour late had ‘striking similarities’ to figures submitted earlier by claimant.
E-conveyancing coalition unveils second 'roadmap'
Action plan includes local authority pilot to digitise and open up building regulations and highways data.
Accountancy firm fires new warning on client interest threat
Prime, which conducts SRA audits, says solicitors must start making contingency plans in anticipation of losing key profit driver.
Qur’an burning case ‘threatens back-door blasphemy law’
National Secular Society writes to CPS urging it to drop prosecution for intent to cause 'harassment, alarm or distress' to Islam.
More solicitors recognised on LCJ-endorsed pro bono list
Number of solicitors featuring on second pro bono recognition list has jumped by 21%.
Slapping down misleading postie payout headline
Law firm's head of marketing calls out Telegraph headline on LinkedIn.
Wagatha Christie: Vardy loses appeal over alleged misconduct by Rooney’s solicitors
High Court finds there was ‘ample material’ before costs judge to justify his conclusion that Rooney’s legal team did not act improperly.
Jenrick lambasts law firm over ‘sickening’ Hamas application
Shadow justice secretary says it is ‘no surprise’ Riverway Law is an immigration firm.
County court enforcement branded complex, slow and outdated
Master of the rolls says enforcement reform has too often been labelled ‘too difficult’.
No-fault divorce: 'blame game' still rife, say family lawyers
New regime 'has led to more spouses littering financial statements with allegations of bad behaviour'.
Ombudsman blames lawyers as budget set to top £20m
Proposed rise of more than £2m is even higher than expected, as LeO admits it can't cope with demand.
Pro bono team beats parking claim as charity nets £10k
London firm Keidan Harrison contacted client after seeing her story reported on the BBC.
Vardags extends flexible working under new management
Ayesha Vardag's famed divorce boutique announces promotion of Manchester chief Emma Gill to managing partner.
SDT suspends partner made subject of restraint orders
Concerns expressed by ’several judges’ over the ‘unusual number and scale of applications’ made by Scott Halborg.
County courts ‘not where we want to be’, minister admits
Sarah Sackman targets reducing settlement times for small claims to 30 weeks.
Legal advice service in council rent row 'cannot afford to move'
Solicitor says relocating to cheaper premises could affect volunteer numbers.
Law firm targeted by Trump seeks permanent end to executive order
Jenner & Block says president’s attempt to block federal access 'sends clear message' to legal profession.
Tributes paid to criminal defence solicitor Simon King
Simon King was a valued member of the Criminal Law Solicitors Association's committee.
Judge awards just £1,200 after credit hire firm claimed £50k
Judge invites parliament to deal with credit hire costs and the effect on motor premiums.
Solicitor arrested by SFO allowed firm to be used as £30m banking facility
William Osmond allowed the payments, despite there being no underlying legal transactions to justify them.
Sir Philip Green loses privacy case over being named in parliament
The European Court of Human Rights says interfering in parliamentary privilege could 'undermine' the separation of powers.
Claims agent named in legal feud collapses
Most recent accounts showed claims negotiator was handling work worth almost £10m.
Wagatha Christie goes to extra time
The latest reminder that endings are never as clear-cut as we are led to believe from fairytales is Rebekah Vardy v Coleen Rooney.
Court slams expert witness for mixing up twins in abuse case
Ruling highlights dangers of expert reports that are 'factually inaccurate, and lacking in enquiry and analysis'.
JAC must disclose recruitment material
Tribunal says disclosure of assessment information in the public interest and would put candidates on an equal footing.
Government fails to keep Apple legal battle secret
Investigatory Powers Tribunal rejects 'fundamental interference with the principle of open justice' following submissions from media and US Congress.
Radical surgery for access to justice
David Heath was unknown to Obiter ahead of Tuesday’s launch of the Legal Services Consumer Panel report on access to justice.
HSF confirms transatlantic merger with Kramer Levin
Tie-up creates ‘transatlantic and transpacific giant’ with 2,700 lawyers across 26 offices.
Judge praises defence solicitors for trying to keep claim active
Claimant representatives pinned failings on 'rogue' fee-earner, as defence lawyers went ‘above and beyond’ to sustain the action.
Judge rejects ‘fishing expedition’ in firm’s data claim
Data protection claim brought after hundreds of firm’s PI cases were analysed.
‘Ostrich-like’ ex-law firm owner given contempt warning
Dorota Newman is being sued by previous owner but has ignored proceedings.
Documents, glorious documents
Court of Appeal takes a further welcome step towards open justice - most of the time
Review of PI reforms announced as MoJ defies Treasury
Justice minister challenges Treasury’s optimistic assessment with new review of Civil Liability Act.
In depth: A digital justice system remains ‘within reach’
The £1.3bn plan to modernise courts and tribunals has fallen short of ambitions, but ‘21st century justice’ is still a realistic aspiration.
Clean up your own backyard: City law firms urged to overhaul client onboarding
Legislators are ready to criminalise professional ‘enablers’ of kleptocracy - the City needs to take the threat of legislation seriously.
Ex-Orrick lawyer touched colleagues inappropriately, tribunal finds
City lawyer acted without integrity but did not exploit his senior position.
UK law firm offices caught by Trump’s DEI assault
The US president’s war on diversity initiatives is starting to be keenly felt on this side of the Atlantic.
SRA neglected risks of ‘accumulator’ firms - Law Society
Only urgent action from the Solicitors Regulation Authority’s leadership will restore the profession’s trust in its regulator, Chancery Lane said this week.
Criminal sanctions warning over City’s dirty money failings
Solicitors have a 'contract with the public' that they need to reread, says former Allen & Overy chief.
‘People are distressingly ignorant’: Hale and Sumption at the Lords rule of law inquiry
Appearing before a Lords inquiry into the rule of law, Lady Hale and Lord Sumption called for better education, while highlighting media misinformation and inequality of arms.
Chartered legal exec at top PI firm banned for fabricating defendant’s admission
Hodge Jones & Allen provided concerns about documents in 32 matters handled by lawyer.
‘Discriminatory’ VAT on school fees ‘breaches ECHR’
High Court challenge by private school pupils claims Labour’s plan breaches European convention right to education.
Diversity and exclusion
These are unfortunate times for so-called Big Law firms as they balance their rock-solid commitment to diversity and inclusion with the Donald Trump size 12s pressing heavily on their necks.
Secret commissions breached duty to borrowers, Supreme Court hears
Claimants in car finance case reject idea that dealers performed same role as shop sales staff.
High Court allows abuse victim to 'tell her story'
Court ‘profoundly sympathetic’ to mother in landmark transparency case who felt ‘let down’ by the family justice system.
Car makers and trade bodies fined £77m by CMA
Fines follow investigation into non-compete agreement and advertising claims.
Firm scraps global diversity pledge amid US pressure
White & Case responds to President Trump’s clampdown on diversity practices in legal sector.
Profits soar again at ABS pioneer Co-op Legal
Probate and estate administration giant has more than doubled income and quintupled earnings since 2021.
Former managing associate accepted he had 'upset' colleague
Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal hears the former managing associate, who denies allegations against him, said he was ‘sorry’ in message to colleague.
£250 advice from ‘shoddy’ lawyers forces employees into silence, MP claims
Employers’ £250 offer isn’t enough for proper legal advice on complex NDAs, MPs told.
Retired magistrate advised over ‘extensive reference’ to JP suffix
Clergyman was acting in his capacity as a union representative and denied acting inappropriately, JCIO said.
US firm pledges $100m for pro bono in Trump deal
Resignations trickle in from Big Law in response to agreements made with US president.
'No quota' on SQE passes, conference hears
Solicitors Regulation Authority data revealed significant difference in pass rates for SQE1 sittings last year.
Three-sentence bill to end Sentencing Council row
Measure would prohibit guidelines 'framed by reference' to personal characteristics of offenders.
Lenders do not owe a fiduciary duty to car buyers, Supreme Court told
Defendant lawyers say duties in arranging car finance were no different to those of a shop assistant.
Shoosmiths links staff bonus to use of artificial intelligence
’Landmark move rewards AI adoption to accelerate better client service,’ international firm says.
LSB poised to commit to ‘regulatory sandbox’ for justice
Chief executive Craig Westwood hopes ‘safe space’ for innovation and will help board fulfil remit to address unmet legal need.
Former managing associate at US firm denies inappropriate touching
Male solicitor, who denies the allegations, is alleged to have touched two female colleagues on multiple occasions.
City firms must overhaul client vetting to thwart corrupt oligarchs - taskforce
Ethics panel led by former Allen & Overy chief concludes that complying with the letter of the law is not enough to restore public trust.
Veteran solicitor fined for breach of undertaking in property deal
SDT says veteran solicitor gave unequivocal and categoric confirmation that he would provide documents.
'In awe of you all': Conveyancers praised for beating stamp duty deadline
Law firm bosses praise teams for completing transactions before new stamp duty land tax thresholds came into force.
Fundão dam collapse: a catastrophe that led Monica Dos Santos to take up law
Monica Dos Santos lost everything in Brazil’s Fundão dam collapse – then trained as a lawyer to fight for justice.
Sentencing Council v lord chancellor: 'two-tier' guidance shelved
Lord chancellor is preparing draft bill that would make new guidelines unlawful.
'Wagatha Christie' saga rumbles on in costs appeal
Court hears allegations - and denials - of misconduct by legal team in preparing a costs budget.
Regulators urged to fix access to justice crisis
Report for consumer watchdog reopens potential for biggest law firms to pay access to justice levy.
Supreme Court showdown begins in car finance case
Lawyers stand on brink of multi-million payouts if appeals are dismissed.
Ministry of Justice finds £6m for legal support
Justice minister says access to early legal support can stop housing, welfare benefits and debt problems spiralling.
In depth: Spring statement - HMRC targets tax avoidance enablers
While Rachel Reeves’ spring statement was devoid of a ‘proper investment plan’ for justice, it did propose a crackdown on advisers who promote tax avoidance schemes – with fines running into millions.
Employment judge sanctioned over comments to tribunal members
Tribunal judge recused himself after litigant in person raised concerns about comments.
CAT president slashes 'wholly disproportionate' costs in Mastercard case
Akin Gump billed at up to triple guideline hourly rates - including £1,120 for Grade B solicitors - for application costs.
Judges block Trump’s ‘unconstitutional’ crackdown on law firms
Two firms fight back as Skadden Arps strikes pre-emptive $100m deal with US president.
Legal training manager who lost her team was not forced to resign
Claimant alleged she was forced to quit following changes to her role and lack of team responsibilities.
Legal Services Board slams SRA failings in damning report
Regulatory performance assessment by oversight watchdog also questions effectiveness of the SRA’s leadership team.
Be ready to battle fake reviews, in-house lawyers told
New powers will make it easier for Competition and Markets Authority to take direct action on consumer law breaches.
Judge demands proof before cutting 'duplication' costs
Paying parties cannot expect to secure costs reductions based on a single-paragraph objection.
CCRC sets up case study hub to 'assist potential applicants'
Review body says it hopes the new hub will support its work investigating possible miscarriages of justice.