Articles

Regulatory Enforcement and the Standards and Regulations

We go into the summer months in a state of limbo looking forward to the revised SRA Standards and Regulations regime taking effect. Aspects of this continue to take shape, as do ac

Law firms getting better at customer service

The Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) have published data which would seem to indicate that law firms are getting better at customer service and resolving complaints and that m

Checking for PEP Status in accordance with the MLR 2017

We have had a number of enquiries recently about a comment by the SRA in a recent bulletin reporting back on its review of anti-money laundering compliance in law firms that are, i

BSB Handbook introduces new Bar transparency rules

The Bar Standards Board (BSB) has published new transparency rules in a revised edition of its Handbook. The new rules come into force immediately.

Scotland looks at legal aid reform

The Scottish Government has published a consultation on legal aid reform in Scotland. The public is being asked to give their views on how to ensure current provisions meet the nee

Are You Transparent?

It is now over six months since the SRA introduced its Price Transparency Regulations, which came into force on 6 December 2018, and whilst many firms have implemented those rules

Bronwen Still emphasises wellbeing

Infolegal director, Bronwen Still, a key speaker at this month’s Legal Futures Regulation and Compliance Conference, which was held at the Cavendish Conference Centre, London on 6

Money Laundering Compliance – What the SRA Expects

The recent warning from the SRA that “too many firms are falling short on anti-money laundering” will have caused many a shudder on the part of money laundering compliance and repo

Reporting Diversity Data

The SRA requires that all regulated firms collect, report and publish data about the diversity make-up of their workforce. This must be done every two years. Firms have until 1st J

Consultation on Practising Certificate Fees 2019-20

The Law Society and the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) are planning to cap practising certificate fees at their 2018/2019 level of £278 for the coming year.

Compensation Fund contributions set to fall

The Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) has announced that the Compensation Fund contributions they set for the next practising year are going to fall.

Costs Information and the LeO

We have, in previous articles, covered the SRA’s requirements in relation to price transparency. However, these requirements have tended to focus on the need for firms to ensure th

Residual Client Balances

A perennial topic for queries, and one that affects most firms that hold client money, is that of the residual client balance – a problem that can often get left on the back-burner

SRA review raises anti-money laundering concerns

A review by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) has revealed that a significant minority of law firms are not doing enough to prevent money laundering, with some falling seri

Non-Disclosure Agreements – Where Next?

The recent publication by the Law Society of its Practice Note on “Non-disclosure agreements & confidentiality clauses in an employment law context” provides a salutary reminder th

New CQS Management Standards Go Live

The revised requirements of The Law Society’s Conveyancing Quality Scheme (CQS) came into effect on 1st May and, in an effort to show that it is a genuine standard to which firms m

Freehold Management Enquiries (FME1) form introduced

The Law Society is urging conveyancers to use the new Freehold Management Enquiries (FME1) form.

New Models of Practice I – Freelance Solicitors

Against the odds, the SRA proposal for “sole solicitors” to act outside the protections of a recognised sole practice is to come into effect in 2019. Freelance solicitors as they h

New Models of Practice II – Solicitors in Unregulated Entities

The new SRA Standards and Regulations which come into force later this year will permit solicitors employed by unregulated entities to provide legal services to the public. The onl

Law Society Updates CQS

The Law Society have introduced a new set of Core Practice Management Standards (CPMS) for their Conveyancing Quality Scheme – standards that go considerably further in terms of wh