Return of the native
Martin Hoare, managing partner of Gorvins, talks to Jean-Yves Gilg about interweaving business areas, stealing a march on larger rivals, and how comparison shopping will accelerate the race to the bottom for legal services Continue reading Return of the native
News | BREAKING | Online probate beta testing to be extended to solicitors this autumn
Concerns over potential for abuse by ‘unscrupulous applicants’ 20 September 2017 Solicitors will be invited to join the courts service’s private beta testing stage for online probate from this autumn, Solicitors Journal can reveal. The online probate application form entered into private beta testing on 15 June for personal applicants in simple cases. “The project is still on target to launch into public beta for … Continue reading News | BREAKING | Online probate beta testing to be extended to solicitors this autumn
News | Retired insolvency practitioner accepts rebuke for latter day failings
Clear regulatory history and undertaking never to work as an insolvency practitioner again was a proportionate way of resolving the issue, says SRA 6 September 2017 A retired insolvency practitioner has been rebuked for regulatory breaches that occurred in the last few years of a stain-free 30-year career. Martyn Evans’ licence to act as an insolvency practitioner automatically lapsed in October 2015 when the Solicitors … Continue reading News | Retired insolvency practitioner accepts rebuke for latter day failings
News | Solicitor who backdated letter in ‘sheer panic’ spared strike-off
Medical evidence in ‘unique and wholly exceptional case’ found to be ‘both compelling and persuasive’ 5 September 2017 A solicitor who backdated a letter to cover for her failure to serve a claim form on time was exceptionally spared strike-off on medical grounds. “The respondent’s misconduct had been extremely grave and had it not been for the strong medical evidence, the outcome would have been … Continue reading News | Solicitor who backdated letter in ‘sheer panic’ spared strike-off
News | Family lawyer who fabricated letters ‘with the intention to mislead’ struck off
Tribunal orders solicitor to pay regulator’s costs of £32,000 23 August 2017 A family law solicitor has been struck off for fabricating and backdating letters after the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal found she had provided no credible explanation as to how the letters, which she claimed had been sent weeks earlier but were never received, had been created. Claire Margaret Wheeler was an associate at Bridge … Continue reading News | Family lawyer who fabricated letters ‘with the intention to mislead’ struck off
Feature | New wine, new bottles: forthcoming anti-money laundering rules required law firms to thoroughly review their AML compliance approach
The new anti-money laundering regulations build on the approach developed under the previous rules but much is new, too, and law firms shouldn’t just blindly re-use the same processes to ensure compliance. Jean-Yves Gilg reports 7 August 2017 With just one working day between the date they were published and their entry into force, the new anti-money laundering regulations have caused ripples of confusion around … Continue reading Feature | New wine, new bottles: forthcoming anti-money laundering rules required law firms to thoroughly review their AML compliance approach
News | Former personal injury head used client account to top up compensation awards
Solicitor misused funds in ‘misguided attempt to conclude cases to satisfaction of clients’ 3 August 2017 The former head of personal injury at North West-based Slater Heelis has been struck off for dishonesty after withdrawing money from the firm’s client account to top up a client’s compensation award. In August 2013, Lynne Muscroft accepted an offer to settle a dental negligence claim for £5,000 without … Continue reading News | Former personal injury head used client account to top up compensation awards
